


Mass Effect: A Hero Rises

by ordinarywriter29



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Action, Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Earthborn (Mass Effect), F/M, Fluff and Smut, Harem, Mass Effect 1, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3, Multiple Partners, Paragade (Mass Effect), Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Science Fiction, Smut, Soldier (Mass Effect), Space Opera, Vanguard (Mass Effect), War Hero (Mass Effect)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-01 04:16:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 47
Words: 415,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21373624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ordinarywriter29/pseuds/ordinarywriter29
Summary: A Mass Effect Trilogy Novelisation.John Shepard was born on Earth, experiencing life on the streets before joining the Alliance Navy and becoming a hero of humanity. But it is only after nearly being killed by a Prothean beacon does he rise to become the only man that can stop the annihilation of the galaxy.This story will cover Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3, while touching on comics and books.Updates: Monday
Relationships: Ashley Williams/Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Benezia/Male Shepard, Benezia/Male Shepard/Liara T'Soni, Chloe Michel/Garrus Vakarian, Gianna Parasini/Male Shepard, Jack | Subject Zero/Male Shepard, Kaidan Alenko/Urdnot Wrex, Kal'Reegar/Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Karin Chakwas/Male Shepard, Kasumi Goto/Male Shepard, Kelly Chambers/Male Shepard, Liara T'Soni/Shiala/Kelly Chambers/Gianna Parasini/Karin Chakwas/Emily Wong/Male Shepard, Male Shepard/Ashley Williams, Male Shepard/Ashley Williams/Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Male Shepard/Emily Wong, Male Shepard/Helena Blake, Male Shepard/Liara T'Soni, Male Shepard/Original Asari Character(s), Male Shepard/Shiala (Mass Effect), Male Shepard/Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Miranda Lawson/Jacob Taylor, Miranda Lawson/Male Shepard, Urdnot Wrex/Ashley Williams
Comments: 112
Kudos: 213





	1. Book 1, Chapter 1 - Beginnings

Splashing cold water into my face, I waited until I felt all the droplets ran down my cheeks and over my nose before I looked up into the mirror. Cool blue eyes stared back at me, the same eyes that had since the first time I’d looked in mirror. Even at my somewhat early age, they’d already seen enough that they were relatively blank, trained to show next to no emotion. I had what they called a defined jaw, stubble lining my cheeks as well. Not particularly within regulations, but no-one questioned me. I kept my hair nice and short at least. Not quite buzz cut but not long enough to run a comb through.

Standing tall, grabbing the towel to wipe my face dry, I looked down my torso. Aside from the scars of war, there was a definition that came only from years of gym work, military exercise and constant battle. I’m vain enough to admit that I waxed my chest, otherwise it would be covered in hair, same with my back. Some women liked the hair, most did prefer it smooth. Those I slept with anyway.

I was currently wearing trousers, but knew I had that defined v-shape that ran down to my crotch, and I definitely received enough comments from women, and sometimes men, about my rather firm butt. I’m confident enough in my sexuality that, if a man were to comment, I’d simply smile and thank them. My legs were powerful, having run endless miles over the years, and one should never forget leg day when they are working in the gym.

Putting on a thin white t-shirt, I threw the towel over my shoulder and headed back to the bunks. Though I was the XO of the _Normandy_, I still had to bunk with the enlisted men. The ship was rather small and compact, and though the crew itself was limited in number, space was at a premium. Only Captain Anderson had his own quarters. I didn’t mind bunking with the men, and quite frankly, I had more than enough space. I’d seen the first ships that had been sent into space once Grissom passed through the first relay. Barely enough room to swing a cat, more like sardine cans than ships. The _Normandy_ was a luxury cruiser compared to the early model ships the Alliance built as we explored the stars.

I lay back on an empty bunk, waiting for the call. We were heading somewhere. Where? I wasn’t sure, I hadn’t been told. Why? That was even more of a mystery. And for what? I assumed Anderson would tell me eventually. But I guess while I’m waiting, I can tell you a little about myself. It’s quite the story how I managed to wind up on the most advanced warship in the Alliance Navy.

* * *

My name is John Shepard. I was born on April the 11th, 2154. I was born on Earth though what city doesn’t really matter as, by the time I was born, the idea of the nation-state was starting to die out. Once we discovered alien life, humans started to think as a collective, the old borders starting to fade, whether you black or white, from Europe or Asia, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that we were human. Generally, two arms, five fingers, two legs, five toes, our eyes came in all sorts of colours, as did our hair. Some of us were short. Some tall. Some fat. Some thin. Male or female.

I was an orphan. To this day, I still have no idea who my mother was. I have asked one or two people since then and they believed it was probably a young girl, far too young to be giving birth, and giving me up for adoption was the best thing. Despite all the technology available, I’ve never managed to track her nor my father down. I’m not even sure Shepard was her surname.

So I grew up in an orphanage as a kid. I saw few of us actually leave over the years, which in itself was disheartening. With next to no hope of actually being adopted, the streets kids that would come to the gates spoke of the life living on them. To a ten-year-old kid, it sounded appealing, considering one is not particularly old enough to understand the consequences. But it was better than the orphanage. Don’t get me wrong, the ladies who ran it were nice, but it was a job. There was no real love involved, though they were not mean. But we simply existed, knowing we’d remain until we were of age, then we’d simply be kicked out, though we’d probably be helped into our own accommodation.

I started hanging out with the street kids and soon learned the ways of petty crime. I realised early on I was one of the biggest, so while I proved quite good at pickpocketing, I was generally used as the distraction so others could pilfer goods for us. The longer I hung out with them, the more I thought about leaving the orphanage. I’m sure they knew what I was up to, and at thirteen, I simply left one day and didn’t go back. I would come to regret that decision though not in the way imagined.

The only way to exist was through crime. Pickpocketing. Shoplifting. That sort of stuff. It wasn’t entirely victimless, but at that early age, we were certainly not violent. If it looked like we were caught, we simply split up and ran until we had escaped. The group I ran with, the Reds, were a rag tag bunch of kids, most having ended up there the same way as me. One or two did have families, and they’d either been kicked out or they’d run away too. I liked to believe we were all in it together.

There was a code we lived by but it was also dog eat dog as well. Being one of the bigger kids, I soon learned that some wanted my protection, and some wanted to prove themselves against me. I quickly learned how to throw fists and fight, and learned that although I felt pain, I could happily fight my way through it. I could have the literal shit kicked out of me, and I’d still stand up, fists raised, blood streaming from cuts, ready for more.

Slowly but surely, I ascended the ranks, particularly as I got older, even bigger, and certainly a lot stronger. While that happened, the element of our crimes changed, became more violent. Muggings and robberies were a favourite, though we still drew a line at things like murder. We didn’t want to kill anyone, or at least that’s what I thought. I’d certainly drawn blood on more than one occasion, but that was generally during battles against opposing gangs. That’s when I definitely earned my reputation, and after Mikey, the only one above me in the hierarchy, had a metal pole put through his head, that’s when I found myself in charge.

It all went to my head, obviously. I was an arrogant fool, believing I was above the law, or at least they couldn’t catch me. It didn’t help that most in my charge worshipped and failed to question me, and those that did were handled harshly. It was all bound to come crashing down, and it did when one of us ended up killing an old man when a mugging went wrong. We should have laid low, but when the cops were led to our hideout, we were done for. We could have fought, but we had baseball bats and lead pipes against pistols and rifles. I had to tell them all to surrender. I didn’t want all their bodies on my conscience.

I was dragged to the nearest police station and charged with a list of offences. To be honest, I was looking at being put away for a long time. Honestly, I can admit I deserved it, but I’d had a bloody good time, and I’d do it all the same again. The cops even appeared impressed by the set up. I looked after those under my care. Everyone was fed. Everyone had a bed. Don’t question my authority. And none of them did, following any order I gave them.

I certainly wasn’t expecting any preferential treatment as I was a right smartarse during questioning. I knew they had plenty on me, not enough to put me away forever, but enough to ensure I’d sit in a cell for a few years. Most of it was circumstantial but some of it would stick. My fingerprints were everywhere.

Led to the interview room for the umpteenth time, I sat back and waited for whoever it was to walk in. They always asked different questions, trying to get an idea of what our gang actually did. We had our fingers in plenty of pies, most if not all of it illegal. But we made credits and we lived comfortably. And, most of the time, our presence was ignored. People don’t like to look at the homeless and destitute, definitely not in their eyes.

I was surprised when a tall, broad, dark-skinned man walked into the office, and I knew enough to know he was wearing an Alliance uniform. I’d walked by their offices more than once, a slight yearning in the back of my mind, telling me to head in and apply. Escaping Earth would be just that. An escape. A way to see the stars and… Well, although I enjoyed the life I’d been living, surely travelling the galaxy would be far more exciting.

The man sat down opposite me, placing a datapad on the desk. I assume it held all my details.

“John Shepard?”

“That’s me. Most people just call me Shepard.”

“Okay, Shepard. I’m David Anderson, Lieutenant of the Alliance Navy. I’m here as word of your… exploits, let’s call them, has reached our ears.”

“O… kay…”

“Sounds like you had quite the little operation going. Lots of little foot soldiers doing your bidding with you in command. Almost like your own little army.”

“In a way, I guess. I looked after most of them and they simply did what they were told. The streets are a shit place to grow up.”

“Yet, from what I’ve read, you did run away from an orphanage?”

I shrugged. “Didn’t seem likely I’d get adopted so I figured I’d take my chances on the streets. I can’t complain too much. Would have ended up here one way or the other.”

He nodded, making a noise, as he picked up the datapad. “Looking through the charges, Shepard, there’s a few here that raise eyebrows, but nothing that I would call… Would you consider yourself violent?”

“I only bring violence to a violent situation. Push me, I’ll push back harder. Hit me, you’d better damn well I’m knocked unconscious because I will hit you back so you are. There is a code on the streets.”

“There is a code in the military as well.” He put the datapad down, crossing his arms on the desk. “Stand up for me.” Figuring there was no harm, I stood up and took a step back, noticing he lean back to get a good look at me. “Well, you’ve certainly got the physique of a soldier. How old are you? No-one was able to tell me.”

“Think I turned eighteen around two weeks ago. Not sure entirely,” I replied as he gestured for me to take a seat.

“I’m going to make you an offer, Shepard. It’s a one-time deal. If you say yes, you leave with me today. The charges will be dropped and you will be under my care. I will explain after you make your decision. If you say no, I leave, you will face trial, be found guilty of your crimes, and you will see the inside of a cell, at least for a few years.”

“Gee, I wonder which option I’m going to take,” I replied sarcastically. That made him grin at least.

“That’s what I thought. So you will take my offer? I need to hear you agree.”

“Yes, I accept.”

“Very good. Once we leave this building, I will escort you to the nearby Alliance office. There, you will be inducted into the Alliance Armed Forces. Your previous record will mean nothing once you put on that uniform. But the expectations on your shoulders, you will learn very quickly what is expected of you. But in your record, I also see something in you, Shepard. That’s the only reason why I’m here.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’re always on the lookout for bright young kids from any walk of life. I have some contacts in this city. One of them contacted me, told me all about you, said you were made of the right stuff. Sure, you were on the wrong side of the law, but a few weeks at boot camp would straighten you out, then the world, or the galaxy, would be your oyster.”

“You’re serious?”

“If you prove yourself, Shepard, I already have an application for officer training ready to be sent off. As I said, you had your own private little army, and from the sounds of it, you ran it effectively. If you could transition that to the armed forces, then I think you’ll prove to be a natural. You’ll even find kids easier to deal with than soldiers. Probably less complaining from the kids.”

“Um, thanks, I think.”

“Don’t thank me yet. Boot camp will be gruelling and you will be nothing but a grunt in their eyes.” He smirked. “I expect you’ll spend a few days in punishment detail, but I think you’ll adapt quickly enough. But if you’re the leader I think you could be, then I think they’ll have you in charge sooner than even you think.”

“No pressure then.”

He picked up the datapad and got to his feet. “Well, no point sitting here talking. If you follow me out of this door, a new life awaits.” He turned and walked to the door, opening it and walking through. I waited a couple of seconds before figuring I didn’t have much choice, rose to my feet and followed him out. Following him through the station, my handcuffs were taken off before we walked through the secure door, the paperwork regarding my release was filled out, and then he escorted me outside to the waiting car.

“Don’t even think about running, otherwise I will shoot you,” he stated, I think half-joking, half-serious.

“Not thinking about it, and that’s being honest.”

“Good man. Hop in and we’ll head to the office. We’ll take all your details, you can have a wash, get some new clothes, some decent shut eye. Then you’ll be sent on with the next batch of recruits to boot camp.”

I had to admit, I quickly came to like the idea. Sure, I’d enjoyed my time on the streets growing up, but to be honest, it was always bound to end how it did. Frankly, I always figured I’d end up dead somewhere, killed by either another gang, my own gang, or the cops. In a way, this was the perfect escape. I just hope I didn’t come to regret it in the end.

* * *

Boot camp was gruelling. I didn’t like being yelled at by people. It took a while to adapt. Anderson was right about one thing. I did have to get used to being punished for being insubordinate. But they must have seen something in me, as they never stopped believing. First time in my life I had people who seemed to give a shit, in their own sort of way, pushing me to be better.

It was exhausting rising before dawn and heading to bed well after dark. The running, jumping and assault courses were actually the fun part. I turned out to be a real natural at shooting, which was a good thing. But it was the little things like being presentable, and the state of my bed and kit, that often let me down. Took a lot of push-ups and sit-ups, getting into my head, learning to be a soldier. Again, they never gave up. Sure, a lot of it was yelling, but there was a point to it. Do it properly and I wouldn’t get yelled at. At the start, I’d glare, set my jaw, and I could see the joy in their faces, hoping I’d throw fists. As I grew in the role, if I made a mistake, I learned from it and respected why they were doing it. As one of them explained, they broke us down then rebuilt us. What I’d done before meant nothing to them. What mattered was who and what I was when I walked out the door.

Straight out of boot camp, I applied to become an Alliance Marine as although the idea of flying in a spaceship sounded like fun, I definitely preferred the idea of walking across different worlds across the galaxy. Something must have impressed them as I was initially accepted for an interview, sent across the Atlantic to Europe and the old United Kingdom, the Alliance Marine program roughly following that of the old Royal Marines. I somehow managed to pass the interview, then had to perform a fitness test, which was an absolute breeze. Sounds arrogant, but I’d never felt fitter. This is when Anderson must have got wind of my progress, as I found myself in an office one day, sat in front of an Admiralty Interview Board. For the first time since joining up, I was a little intimidated, almost feeling out of my depth.

They questioned everything about me, and they expected complete honesty. I thought that was going to ruin my chances immediately, but I didn’t plead nor beg, I simply told them the truth. I think that’s what they were after, knowing where I’d come from to the man that sat in front of them that day. Before I was accepted, there were more physical and mental tests, and they really tested my ability. The physical stuff was fine, it was the mental stuff, the intellectual tests, that concerned me. Somehow, I was smarter than I thought and managed to pass. When they told me I was accepted as an officer, I have no problem admitting that I nearly wept. All the pain was worth it.

What followed was thirty-two weeks of intensive training that, by the end, had me walking ten foot tall and more confident in myself than ever. And after basic, you are treated like a soldier. In fact, I like to believe you’re treated more than a soldier. They treat you like a marine already, you simply have to earn the right to call yourself one, the right to earn that beret.

There are tests what feels like every week. The amount of training was nuts. I learned skills that I didn’t even know I had or were possible. But as you watch others around you develop, you know you are developing at the same time. Fellow marines become firm friends. There is a brotherhood that exists. You would fight and die for those around you.

If anyone thought the training was tough, it was all in preparation for the Commando Course. That separated the wheat from the chaff, and only those who passed it would become Alliance Marines. Within a seven-day period, a marine had to complete four tests. The first is a nine-mile speed march, carrying 32 pounds of equipment, finishing it in ninety minutes. The second is a six-mile endurance course, again with 32 pounds of equipment, to be completely in seventy-one minutes, that includes a two mile run across moorland and woodland, and a four mile run back to the Commando Training Centre. After that is a marksmanship course, where 60% of targets must be hit. The third test is the Tarzan Assault course, again with equipment, to be completed in twelve minutes. By then, even the fittest of us are starting to struggle, but it is nothing to the last test.

The thirty miler is spoken of in whispers by even those marines who have passed it. It is the one test to really sort the men from the boys. It is here that most potential marines fail. The first three tests take place over four days. If you’ve already failed one of them, you’re pretty much done. The thirty miler is regarded as such a gruelling event, the event can be re-run over the next three days, though it is accepted that if you didn’t pass it the first time, you probably won’t pass it the second.

The thirty miler is a march across Dartmoor, a barren landscape with few defining features, again carrying 32 pounds of equipment, including addition safety equipment in a daysack. For officers, it had to be completed in seven hours, one hour shorter than the enlisted men, and we had to navigate ourselves. Sounds easy but it was a right bitch. The idea was for all of us to work together, inspire each other, and get us all to the finishing point within the required time.

After passing out as an Alliance Marine, earning that beret I had come to covet during my training, Anderson made an appearance and, I’ll admit, a small part of me had done all of this to impress him. He looked proud as punch, taking me to the nearest town for a beer to celebrate, knowing I’d be out later with my fellow marines to really let our hair down.

“Now, Shepard, this isn’t the end of your training. At least, it won’t be if you don’t want it to be.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, how far do you want to go? What do you want to be?”

“I’m really not sure. Passing out as a marine was the objective. What else is there?”

“The N-Program.”

“Special Forces? Really?”

“Not right now, Shepard. You haven’t exactly served yet. You’ll have to wait two years before you can apply, and even then, you’ll have to really impress them to have a chance. But what you’ve just been through? It is nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, compared to what you’ll experience in N-training.” He paused before meeting my eyes. “I’m N7. Been through it myself. Honestly, wouldn’t want to do it again.”

“Two years?”

“That’s right. But, let me tell you something. You walk around, wearing that N7 emblem? You will walk taller, feel broader, and the respect from everyone else? They won’t have a clue what you’ve been through, but they’ll understand it was as close to hell as one can get.”

“Two years… I think I can wait that long.”

“So you’re interested?”

“I want to be the best I can be. That kid from the streets? Long gone. What I’ve just been through has come to define me. While part of me would like to do it immediately, I’ve done all this training for a reason. I guess it’s time I headed out and actually applied it all.”

Those words would come back to haunt me.

* * *

“Looks like we have another soldier boy,” one of the drunks slurred, before he held up a glass, “I’ll have a drink, Corporal!”

I grit my teeth but tried to ignore them. My date across from me could see I was getting angry, clenching my jaw and grinding my teeth. “Just ignore them, Shepard.”

“I don’t like being disrespected, Annie. I’m a lieutenant of the Alliance Marines, not some… joke…”

Annie… If that is a case of ‘What might have been’, she would be it. I’d been serving for a couple of years by then, still looking at the N-Program, though I’d delayed joining as I found myself enjoying my time as a marine, ending up touring the front-lines around the galaxy. At the moment, I was on furlough on Elysium. I’d met Annie previously and we’d hit it off immediately. She was a gorgeous redhead with emerald green eyes, the faintest freckling over her nose, and a pair of lips that just made me want to kiss her all the time. She was unbelievably pale, blaming it on her Scottish heritage, laughing away whenever she lay next to my rather tanned and toned body.

Still not sure how we’d hit it off exactly. Maybe I was more charming than I thought. Perhaps, despite the comradery and friendship of my brothers in uniform, I wanted something intimate. I’d lost my virginity ages ago, and being boys on tour at times, I’d certainly had my fair share of whores. The first time with Annie, though. That was… meaningful. Damned near fell in love with her straight away.

“We should go, Shepard. Go somewhere else.”

“No. I won’t have us forced out by some drunken dickheads.”

“Just don’t…”

I gently grabbed her hand, running my thumb over the back of it. “Don’t worry, I can handle things peacefully.”

I stood up and turned, noticing the bar immediately fell silent as I slowly walked towards the three drunks. They tried to puff themselves up to try and intimidate me. They failed miserably. They were probably on holiday themselves, just having a good time. But they were ruining my time and I’d seen more than one couple or group already leave the bar because of them.

“Something wrong, pal?” one of them asked.

I smiled, making it appear as genuine as possible. “Not at all. Just wondering if you are serving men as well? Perhaps you’ve gone through the marine program like myself?”

“You a marine?” one of the others asked, already hearing the concern.

“Sure am. If you were fellow marines, I was going to offer you a drink and I’d forget about the disturbances you’ve caused.”

“And if we’re not?” the one who called me ‘Corporal’ asked.

“Well, let me tell you everything I’ve been through so far. Boot camp takes six weeks. In there, they break you down, build you up. At the end, you know where to point a rifle and shoot, but there’s still a lot of building work to go. But some of us, like myself, immediately join the Marines. Thirty-two weeks that takes, and it is the hardest thing anyone will ever do. Thirty-two weeks, seven days a week, nearly twenty-four hours a day you are switched on. During that time, you learn to do many things, but the one thing every marine learns is how to kill. And I don’t mean just with a gun.” I held up my right hand. “I mean with just one of these. Maybe that knife on the table over that. I could use one of these chairs and put all three of you in hospital within seconds.”

Two of them shared a glance. My body language remained relaxed but I was ready to move in an instant. A coiled spring. I didn’t want to fight three drunks. It wasn’t worth it. “Any of you served before?” All three shook their heads. No surprise there. I stepped forward, just one step, but that forced them back. “Then I would suggest, gentlemen, that you finish your drink and depart this establishment. You are disturbing other patrons and, quite frankly, ruining my evening.”

“You and what army?” the first drunk asked.

“My friend, to deal with the likes of you, I won’t need an army. I’ll barely need to use both hands.” I glanced at his friends. “Do the right thing, take your friend here, and kindly leave. I’m asking nicely as I don’t want this to get violent. No-one wants a fight and I don’t want to put three drunks in hospital.”

My tone. My body language. My sheer presence was enough for them to wilt. The other two drained their glasses, said nothing, simply walked out. The first drunk was more defiant but I simply glared at him until he too wilted. He looked ready to throw whatever was left in his glass over me but thought better of it, simply putting it down, calling me a wanker, then he walked out.

Receiving thanks from those behind the bar, I walked back to the table, sitting down across from Annie. “Want to get out of here?” she asked.

“What? I just…” I looked at her face and it spoke volumes. I couldn’t help smirk. “Did that just impress you or something?”

“The way you were so calm but authoritative. I’m not the only one in here swooning right now, Shepard.”

Now I laughed. “Swooning? Who still says that?”

“Okay, how about I’m really fucking wet right now and…”

I stood up, grabbed her hand, threw some credits on the table, and we made our way quickly back to the apartment I’d rented. Soon as we were in the door, clothes were taken off and Annie was on her back on the bed, and she wasn’t lying about being wet, moaning loudly once I lowered my mouth. Though she enjoyed it as always, she wanted something else, both of us groaning as I slid my cock inside her. She held on for dear life as we simply fucked like rabbits, hearing her urge me on in between her moans and other delightful noises she made.

I didn’t last long, there was something about it all that made it that much better, and after a last groan, I buried myself and suddenly felt rather tired, hearing her giggle as I only just prevented myself from squashing her. “God, that really turned me on,” she whispered once we’d cleaned up and she was spooning back into me.

“Really?” I wondered, running my fingers up and down her arms.

“Never been one into military men, Shepard. But there was something about you that first time we met. Just the way you strode in, looking all… you. Thing is, it took my girlfriends to give me the courage to even approach you at the bar. When you smiled at me, that was it. I was a hopeless cause. They still joke that I abandoned them that night.”

“Well, you kind of did since we left without them and I ended up back at your place, doing what we’d just done though I like to think it lasted a lot longer that first time.”

“It was worth the angry messages next morning.”

She fell asleep in my arms, kissing the top of her head as I felt myself relax. We still hadn’t told each other our real feelings. I knew I’d probably fallen in love with her, but still wasn’t sure if this was just some sort of fling or if was already serious. I mean, she had flown to another planet to be with me, so that would suggest serious, right?

My peaceful rest was destroyed by air raid sirens. I leapt out of bed immediately, heading straight for the window. It was barely dawn but there was enough light to see what was going on. Projectiles were raining down on the city. Turning around, Annie was sat still with fright. “We have to go, Annie.”

“Go where?” she asked quietly.

“I need to go do what I do. You need to get to a bunker.”

“Are there any in the city?”

“I don’t know but…”

“Then I’ll stay here. We don’t even know who or what it is.”

“Surely you’ll be safer…”

She got up and approached me as I threw on my shirt, sitting down so I could put on my boots. Standing in front of me, her flat but soft stomach in front of me, she gently grabbed my head, holding it against her. “I’ll be fine, Shepard. You’ll be out there protecting me.”

I didn’t like the idea but I didn’t know the city we were in at all. I certainly hadn’t thought we’d be attacked, if that was what was happening. Grabbing my coat, I headed to the door, Annie grabbing the duvet, wrapping herself in it, as I opened the door. Turning back to her, I kissed her hard before leaning back slightly. “I love you,” I whispered.

That earned one hell of a smile as, for some reason, it felt like the time to tell her. “I love you too. Now go, see what’s going on, then come back. I’ll get cold all by myself under this duvet.”

“Hopefully it’s nothing. Just make sure you lock and bolt the door. Don’t answer it unless you know it’s me. I’ll call before I do.”

I took the fire escape downstairs, bursting out into the street. Already I could hear the sound of fighting. High above, where there was still darkness, I’m sure I saw explosions. Elysium had planetary defences, but if a force arrived with enough firepower of their own, they could definitely cause trouble. And whoever was up there was definitely firing at us.

I ran for the nearest assembling point, plenty more men and women in uniform joining me. Grabbing a rifle and a shield pack, we warned that ships were incoming, as the defences were overwhelmed. I looked around and noticed mostly enlisted men. In fact, I didn’t see a single marine. “Anyone above a lieutenant here?” I called out. No-one said there was.

“Guess it’s on you then,” one of the men nearby stated. He wasn’t making a joke.

“I’ll get in contact with command. For now,” I grabbed a nearby schematic, “These are the sectors. Break into groups of half a dozen and head for possible breach points. No idea yet who the enemy is, but once they make their appearance, greet them in the way you’ve been trained.”

“Aye, sir.”

“Move out!”

They didn’t need hand-holding or orders, counting out into groups of six and moving towards the areas required. I had five with me, and as we ran towards our sector, I tried getting in contact with command. That proved pointless, and I received information soon afterwards that Alliance HQ on Elysium had been targeted. Whether it was destroyed or not, no-one knew, but it had been targeted.

“Guess it’s up to us then,” I muttered as we fanned out, taking cover, and simply waited.

The enemy made themselves known soon enough. Should have known it would be batarians, but the fact I saw some humans and turians involved just pissed me off even further. As soon as they entered the killing zone, we opened fire, watching as they fell like nine-pins. But they’d come prepared at the same time, launching missiles and rockets towards our position. I heard more than one scream of agony as their firepower was surprising and overwhelming.

“Where’s our heavy weapons?” I yelled out.

“Beats me, sir,” I heard a reply.

“Probably don’t have any. Planetary defences, minimal defence force on the ground, sir,” someone else replied.

“Well, shit,” I muttered.

We held the line for as long as possible until we simply had to pull back. Even this early, I noticed we’d already lost a few soldiers. We pulled back to the next line and it was there that I noticed the machine gun. “Cover me while I get this ready,” I ordered, feeling at least two people fall in beside me, waiting for the breach. Colony worlds were almost built like old citadels, though on a grander scale. The main buildings and residences rested behind a wall, the farmland located outside. It was amazing as to how technology progressed, we’d reverted to ancient techniques of defence. Thing is, the Alliance still built forts and other buildings in a similar manner, so it did generally work.

The invaders finally breached and flooded through. I lit up the machine gun and roared as I met fire with fire. Bullets continued to fly in our direction, but over the machine gun, I couldn’t really hear anything. I took a bullet in the shoulder, thankful it was my left, as I could simply keep firing with my right. The bullets were not limitless, though, and I was soon running low.

“Any more?” I asked, glancing. The soldier to my left was dead. The soldier to my right was wounded and on the verge of bleeding out. So I kept firing until the machine gun was empty, the clicking sound telling me what I already knew.

Grabbing my rifle, I took cover and opened fire. They kept on coming though the flood had turned to a trickle. I eventually stood up, dropping my empty rifle, and drew my pistol. Each bullet found its mark until that too was empty. The next three kills were with my knife. I was shot twice more before I buried the knife into the chest of a batarian, watching his eyes widen for a moment before the life drained.

Only then did I roll off him and lay on my back, the adrenaline slowly draining away and the pain from the wounds finally overwhelmed me.

I woke in a field hospital a few hours later when it had gone dark. They’d operated on me fast and medi-gel was already working wonders. They gave me the good news; the invasion had been stopped. The bad news was that everyone in my sector was dead, the casualty list was high anyway, and that the city had been bombarded heavily during the attack. I felt the onset of a bad feeling, rising to my feet somewhat unsteadily. They tried to stop me leaving but, after finding my clothes, I dressed and hobbled my way down the street.

The building was…

* * *

_“Commander Shepard?”_

“Yes, Lieutenant?”

_“Captain Anderson is requesting your presence up in the comm room in five minutes.”_

“No problem. I’ll be there shortly. Thanks.”

The line cut and that left me alone with my thoughts. Sitting up, dangling my legs off the edge, I reached into the small pack I kept under my pillow. In the pack was a wallet. Inside the wallet was a photo. It was of Annie and I the day before the attack. It was the only memento I’d kept of our time together. I couldn’t keep anything else as it was a reminder that it was my fault. I’d told her to stay put. If she’d left, she wouldn’t be… gone… I sighed, kissing the photo, before placing it back where it was, putting the pack back under my pillow.

Heading back to the bathroom, I quickly splashed some water on my face before taking a deep breath, looking into the mirror again. Even on my Alliance blues, I had two emblems. The Alliance Navy. And the N7 emblem. I’d joined the N-program immediately after Elysium. After completing that program, I’d found myself assigned to the _SSV Normandy_, promoted in rank to Commander, the Executive Officer to the Commanding Officer, David Anderson, who had told me in no uncertain terms that he had practically ordered my presence onto the ship. All I could do was assure him that I would return the faith he’d shown in me all these years.

Still, I knew little of what we were doing, where we were going, or why I’d seen a turian wandering around the ship. I guess I was about to get my answers as I walked into the comm room. The turian I’d seen wandering around since leaving Earth orbit was waiting for me, taking a moment to introduce himself as Nihlus. We shook hands, meeting each other in the yes. We chatted for a moment about Eden Prime, one of our colony worlds, wondering why he was asking, when Anderson walked in.

That’s when some bombshells were dropped. I knew the _Normandy_ was a new ship but this no shakedown cruise like I’d originally been old. A science team on Eden Prime had recently found a Prothean beacon. All of humanity knew who they were. We’d found their technology on Mars long ago and it was that which jump-started our exploration of space.

But it wasn’t just the collection of the beacon. Apparently Nihlus was there as my name had been submitted as a candidate to become a Council SPECTRE (Special Tactics and Reconnaissance). I didn’t really know what to say to that.

Before the conversation could continue, Flight Lieutenant Moreau, otherwise known as ‘Joker’, interrupted us over the comm with footage from Eden Prime. It didn’t look good. The marines on the ground were under attack from unknown forces, while an enormous alien looking ship, like nothing any of us had seen, appeared in the distance, before the transmission was cut.

Nihlus and I shared a glance. “Looks like this mission just a lot more complicated,” Anderson muttered, “You’d better head down to the hangar bay, Shepard. Lieutenant Alenko and Corporal Jenkins will be on the ground with you.”

“Aye, sir.”

Heading down to the garage, as I called it as that was where the M-35 Mako was parked, I donned my armour and helmet, grabbed a rifle and shield pack, a few grenades and a pistol. Having only just joined the ship, I didn’t know Alenko or Jenkins too well, but from whispers, I assumed Alenko was a biotic, or had at least some biotic talents.

Joining Nihlus as the ramp was loaded, he told us that he usually worked alone and would therefore scout ahead, feeding up information as he moved. That left me in charge of the other two.

“Well, here goes nothing,” I stated as the _Normandy_ came into land.

It would be the day that would change my life forever.


	2. Book 1, Chapter 2 - It Just Got Complicated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for anyone that is interested in this...
> 
> There will be no central romance to this story, but it won’t be a harem either (like the two Dragonborn stories I'm uploading.) Shepard will be too busy saving the galaxy to really think about romance but will be looking for ‘stress relief’ with various women he meets. I will eventually focus on other characters, splitting between Shepard’s POV and others, and there will be focus on other partnerships. (I could change my mind regarding romance, but to be honest, I write stories for other sites and have already done the whole romance thing.)
> 
> The idea I have going forward is for this to cover all three games, perhaps touching on other media as well (books and comics in particular). For Mass Effect, each main mission will have its own chapter, while there will be references or small sections in regards to side missions. For Mass Effect 2, each recruitment and loyalty mission will have a dedicated chapter, as will any Collector mission. For Mass Effect 3, each priority mission will have a dedicated chapter. And I will likely have an ending regarding the post-Mass Effect world, which is quite a popular genre in fan fiction.
> 
> The only other thing I have to note is that I plan on some chapters being mostly sex-free, simply because the story needs to progress, and a chapter with a sex scene isn’t always required. Let me know what you think about that too.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy what is to come. As I said above, comments and feedback is always appreciated.

It was far too quiet and peaceful compared to what we’d seen on the screen only minutes before arriving. Once we had boots on the ground, the three of us moved quickly into cover, waiting for what I thought would be the inevitable assault. Surely someone would have seen our ship come in?

But no, no-one came to greet us, so after assessing our position, we headed off towards the dig sit. It didn’t take long to find the first victims of the fight. But it wasn’t just the fact they were dead, they’d been charred until they were almost unrecognisable. Jenkins immediately removed his helmet and the breakfast he’d eaten came up. Even Alenko looked queasy. I crouched down, trying to breathe through my mouth. “The fire was intense but burned out quickly,” I stated.

“Any idea who did it?” Alenko asked.

“None. But we’ll find out soon enough.”

Making sure Jenkins was okay, we moved out, eventually following a path that would lead us through part of the colony, the dig site located down a tramway. Approaching a barren field, I gestured to stop and took a knee. Perfect place for an ambush though all appeared quiet. I checked near and the horizon for any signs of hostiles. Seeing and sensing nothing, I gestured for Jenkins to run to the next piece of cover.

The bastards were waiting. He’d taken maybe a dozen steps when they appeared from cover and fired. Bullets ripped through the young Corporal, Alenko and I rising and firing back. Jenkins hit the deck as we managed to grab him with one hand, firing with our other. Sitting him back against the rock, Alenko and I stood up and dealt with what looked like drones. A few bullets made both of them blow up, immediately returning to Jenkins side.

His eyes were open but the life was already fading. I grabbed his hand as Alenko started to work the medi-gel, but I’d already seen this far too often. “Alenko,” I whispered. The Lieutenant looked up and I shook my head. “Just give him something for the pain,” I added softly.

I held his hand until I felt it weaken. He whispered something, though I didn’t hear quite what it was. He managed to lift his head a final time, looking up at the sky, before he released a sigh and his body sagged, his eyes now lifeless. He was the first I’d ever lost under my command. I’d been on the frontlines around the galaxy but had always been subordinate to someone else. My first day on the ground, in charge, and I’d already lost a soldier.

I closed his eyes with my fingers and laid him down on the ground, reporting to the _Normandy_. They would pick up his body while Alenko and I moved forward. I was now pissed off, but not stupid to just go rushing forward blindly because I was angry. That’s when mistakes are made.

We checked the drones we’d taken down. Definitely not Alliance, the technology foreign to my eyes. Alenko didn’t know either. We moved on, more of those drones appearing in the distance. Alenko and I split into cover and returned fire. The good thing for us is that they simply hovered in the air, so were relatively easy to take down. Their rate of fire was concerning though, having to time when we rose out of cover to shoot.

Cresting a hill, I pointed out the dig site was ahead. It looked abandoned from where we were standing, and I could see no sign of any sort of Prothean beacon. Alenko pointed as I heard gunfire. “Look, Shepard! One of ours!”

I’d never seen a geth before, though heard a lot about them and we’d certainly learned of them over the years. And she was definitely being chased by geth. A few of them in fact. _What the fuck are geth doing on Eden Prime?_ I didn’t vocalise that thought, simply moving with Alenko as we fired at the geth. That distracted most of them, letting the soldier get into cover. Firing from two directions, the geth didn’t fall easily but Alenko certainly proved he had some smart, using some tech abilities to help overheat weapons or disable shields, leaving them as easier pickings.

Approaching the soldier as they stood out of cover, they removed their helmet to reveal it was a woman. Brunette hair and rather lovely brown eyes when they met mine. She was no shrinking violet though. This woman was a soldier, through and through. If you are one, you recognise one in return. Thing is, women serving in the military was normal but their numbers were still fewer than men so it could still be a surprise at times, which is why it was a slight surprise. “Who are you?” I asked.

“Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212, sir,” she replied, saluting, I assume recognising the armour. “You are?”

“Commander Shepard, and this is Lieutenant Alenko. We’re from the Normandy.”

“Commander Shep…? What are you doing here, sir?”

“We’re here to collect that Prothean beacon the scientists dug up. What’s going on here? What are geth doing on Eden Prime?”

“Must be about the beacon, sir.”

“And that ship we saw?”

“No idea, sir. Been too busy fighting off geth to worry about anything else… er, sir.”

I waved that away. “Well, we’re here for the beacon and now we’re investigating what’s going on here. Where’s the rest of your unit?” She grimaced, so I gestured for her not to answer. “Come with us, Chief. We could use your help.”

“Aye, sir.”

The geth knew we were now coming as, the closer we came to the dig site, the more that seemed to come towards us. I knew enough about geth to know what they were, but I had no idea how they worked, just knowing they were AI and on some sort of neural network. The geth we fought that day? Pretty fucking dumb, if you ask me. Didn’t seem to know what the word ‘cover’ was, for example. Ashley and I lit them up with our rifles as Alenko performed tech attacks, generally aimed at weapons and shields. The geth replied in kind, my shields taking a hit more than once, necessitating either a small retreat or a quick jump into cover.

Making it to the dig site, there was no sign of any beacon, Ashley adamant it had been there though obviously been removed. Before we could move on, Nihlus finally got in contact.

“_Commander Shepard, copy?”_

“I read you, Nihlus.”

_“Change of plans. No sign of any beacon though have seen a few geth around. There’s a small spaceport ahead that I’m going to scout out. What’s your location?”_

“We’re at the dig site. Beacon isn’t here either.”

_“Okay, I’ll meet you at the spaceport. It’s not far from your position. Fifteen-minute walk maximum. Once you get here, we’ll move together.”_

“Copy. Moving out now.”

We’d barely left the dig site when we came across these strange… things on the ground. Looked like dragon’s teeth. But it was the things that were on them that startled the three of us. “They used to be human,” Ashely muttered as the husk like creatures converged on us. They appeared to be as dumb as the geth that just attacked us, as they came straight for us, despite not being armed. But their bodies were lined with all manner of tech, so I suggested we make sure they don’t come too close, just in case.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Ashley asked, I don’t think expecting a response from either of us. I had a feeling she’d already been through some shit.

“No idea. This was meant to be a simple pick up job.”

The geth were definitely aware of our presence, as we met plenty of them as we moved out. Thankfully there was plenty of cover, and Ashley proved to be a rather competent soldier, and a definite crack shot with her rifle. As for Alenko, he definitely proved his biotic strengths, generally dragging or lifting geth out of cover, leaving them as easy pickings for us.

We didn’t see too many bodies around, though it was concerning that the entire colony felt deserted. That lasted until we found a few shacks that looked to be offices. Searching through them, we finally found some people, two of them appearing to be scientists. Dr. Warren was the lead archaeologist on the dig site. She assumed most of the workers had either fled for their lives or been killed, as had the marines which had been stationed near the dig site.

“The 232,” Ashley said quietly, “Good men.”

Otherwise, she’d bunkered down in the shack with her assistant, keeping the door locked and the shack otherwise dark. As for the beacon, she told us that it had only been moved to the spaceport that morning. I did ask about the beacon, wondering why the geth were attacking. The only thing she could tell me explicitly was that the beacon was part of a galaxy wide communications network. But other than that, she simply hadn’t had the time to research it.

Heading out of the shack, we locked the door, telling her to stay put until she received the all clear. We moved out and I wasn’t the only one to hear the gunshot echo around. We shared a glance and started to jog ahead. Heading down an incline, we came to a stop as an enormous ship was taking off in the distance. It looked like no ship we’d seen before.

“Hang on, that looks like…” I started to say.

“What?” Alenko asked.

“The video feed we got from the planet. I swear it looks like the same ship.”

“Think it’s a geth ship?” Ashley wondered.

“No idea. I’ve never seen one of their ships before.”

Moving on, as that lone gunshot still troubled me, the geth were now dug in and waiting for us. Kaidan was exerting himself with his biotics, noticing the sweat on his face. He saw me look and nodded he was okay. I’d worked with biotics before but only briefly. Most of the time, they were in their own units. Anyway, the geth were not a major issue to deal with, the husks certainly tried to swarm us, Kaidan using his biotics to keep them back, Ashley and I lighting them up with rifle fire. It was fairly easy to figure out why the colony was now practically deserted. Whatever the geth were doing to them, it wasn’t pretty and stripped them of their humanity.

We found a few more survivors in hiding, all of them farmers who had taken cover during the attack. They couldn’t tell us much but Alenko recognised they were being rather shifty. It didn’t take much pressure to get them to admit to smuggling, going so far as to give us the name of their contact at the nearby port. They handed over what they had, considering all they were going to do was hide.

Arriving at the port, we found the body of Nihlus. Poor bastard had been shot in the back of the head. Didn’t stand a chance. Didn’t have his weapon out either. “Executed,” I muttered as I crouched over the body.

There was a clatter of cases nearby, the three of us holding up our weapons, ordering whoever it was to come out. A frightened dock-worker appeared, introducing himself as Powell, the name given to us by the farmers. We played good cop, bad cop, accusing him of killing Nihlus. He proved very co-operative after that, telling us what happened. “Another turian by the name of Saren killed him,” he said.

“Saren?” I asked. Name meant nothing to me.

“Yes, Saren. The dead turian…”

“Nihlus.”

“Yeah, Nihlus, he seemed to know him as he relaxed upon meeting him. Turned his back then ‘Bam!’, Saren just shot him in cold blood. Took off towards that big ship straight away.”

There was nothing we could do about Nihlus, simply reporting it into the _Normandy_ before moving out. The train that would take us to the beacon lay ahead. Between that and us were even more geth. Used to fighting them by now, Alenko took care of their shields and weapons, Ashley and I simply shot them. We took our time and were careful as, if Saren had departed, then I assumed he hadn’t taken the beacon. I didn’t want to end up dead either.

The geth seemed to throw everything at us to prevent us making it to the train but, somehow, the three of us made it there unscathed, only the occasional shield loss or overheating weapon slowing us down. Kaidan now looked exhausted from his biotic use, making sure he was okay, suggesting he just stick to his tech attacks as I had a feeling we’d simply be dealing with geth going forward.

How we made it through the next ten or so minutes, I’m still not sure. I thought we’d fought a number of geth earlier. It was nothing compared to those waiting for us. Made me glad, with all the bullets we fired, that we basically had limitless ammo, the only thing preventing continuous fire being overheating. A simple Avenger, which Ashley and I had, needed care when firing. There were other, better weapons, though far more expensive, that could near enough be fired constantly, with the right modifications.

In addition to geth, someone, and I could only assume it was Saren, had laid explosives, as we stumbled over the first one, Kaidan managed to defuse it, and we then had around five minutes to find the others. That sucked completed, the three of us splitting up to find them. Thankfully, we did find all four, defusing the last one with only a minute to go. As we were doing that, the geth continued to press, forcing them back through sheer force of will, and the fact I would not let myself be killed by a bloody robot.

Bombs defused, we proceeded with caution, but we’d managed to kill all the geth, and bonus, we’d located the beacon. I radioed into the _Normandy_, letting them know our position and that the beacon was now secured. While I was doing that, Ashley and Kaidan were obviously fascinated by it. Kaidan approached me as Ashley stepped close. I didn’t even hear myself shout as she was suddenly lifted into the air. Pushing Kaidan out of the way, I grabbed Ashley and pushed her out of the way. Then I was suddenly in the beacon’s grasp, feeling myself lifted high and my mind filled with all manner of horrific images. It kept going and going until I passed out, not even feeling my body drop to the ground like a stone.

* * *

I groaned as I opened my eyes. I had a throbbing headache and really needed a drink of water. A face appeared above me. “You’re awake,” Doctor Chakwas stated.

“What happened?” I wondered.

“You’ve been out cold for a few hours. I was told something about contact with a beacon and, well, it didn’t sound very good. Were you dreaming?”

I ran a hand down my face. “More like nightmares. Just… horrific images and scenes. Can’t quite figure it all out. Head’s pounding though.”

“Hmm. The tests I ran while you were asleep suggested something was up.”

She ran a few tests on me now that I was awake before giving me a couple of tablets and a glass of water to swallow. Ashley and Kaidan were both there. It was nice they worried, explaining that they carried me back to the ship and to the med-bay. After that, Anderson did walk in to have a proper debrief. Chakwas was going to argue that I was her patient but I said it was fine now that I was awake. After asking how I was, after I told him I was basically fine, he asked for privacy before he gave me the rundown of everything that happened. Nihlus dead. The beacon had exploded after my contact with it. The colony was practically wiped out. The Alliance were send in ships to rescue those that did survive. All in all, it was an absolute clusterfuck.

“Chief Williams is on board now?” I asked.

“Aye, she is. I’ve had her reassigned to the Normandy for the time being.”

“Good choice. She’s one hell of a soldier. Showed it in our brief time together already.”

We walked into his office across the mess, taking a seat at his desk after he closed the door. “I’ll be honest with you, Shepard, the Council will want answers about what went on. The geth invading will certainly raise plenty of questions.”

“Reckon they’ll try and pin the blame on me?”

“Perhaps, but I have your back in that case, Shepard. You did a damned fine job and, quite frankly, from what I was told, the beacon damn near nearly killed you. You eliminated the geth presence. Helped a few survivors. And managed to live through whatever that beacon did. So, in my eyes, you did your job and you did it well. Elements outside our control are to blame. There’s one other thing that concerns me, though, and the Council… well… It’s Saren, the other turian mentioned.”

“What’s the problem?”

Anderson sighed, and I figured it was going to be bad news. “He’s a Spectre, Shepard. One of the very best. A living legend in some parts. Any shithole assignment that needed doing, he’d be given it and he’d get it done. But the concern is, if he’s now allied with the geth, he’s gone rogue. And if he has done that, it’s trouble. He hates humans.” Could have asked why, but I didn’t think it really mattered. “He was clearly after the beacon, that’s what I do know, I just don’t know why. You have any ideas?”

Scratching my chin, I leaned back in my chair. “Just before I passed out, I had some sort of… vision, I guess.”

“What sort of vision?” he asked, definitely curious as to what I’d seen.

“I saw synthetics. Maybe the geth, but I’m not sure. It’s all kind of scrambled in my head. But they were slaughtering people. Butchering them. I’ll be honest, it was horrific. Just endless blood and guts. And the noise… Chilling to the core.”

“We need to report this to the Council, Shepard.”

“What, that I had a bad dream?” I wasn’t being sarcastic. I figured the Council would laugh us out of the room if we went to them because of a simple vision.

“We don’t know what was on that beacon, Shepard. All we do know is that Saren took it. And I know Saren.” I was going to ask how, but that could be later. It was clear Anderson didn’t like him though, took what happened as a personal affront. “I know his reputation and the fact he’s a danger, not only to humans, but perhaps now the galaxy. He believes we’re a blight, a stain to be erased. This attack was an act of war!”

“He’s using the geth as soldiers to fight us?”

“Probably. We’re friendly with the turians now. Hell, they helped design and build this ship. Someone like Saren would hate that sort of co-operation. No, he clearly has designs on what he wants to do with us. Eden Prime is just the start.”

“Let me off the leash, sir.”

He smirked, knowing I’d be eager to pit my wits against someone like him. “It’s not that easy, Shepard. You’re good but, at the moment, he’s better. More importantly, for the moment, he’s still a Spectre. Practically untouchable. We’re going to need the Council on our side before we make any sort of move against him.”

“Understood.”

“We should be getting close to the Citadel. Head upstairs in a while and have Joker bring the ship into dock. We’ll have to speak with the ambassador about obtaining an audience with the Council.”

I headed back out into the mess, grabbing a bottle of water, still feeling rather parched. Swallowing that down quickly, I grabbed another one before taking a seat with Ashley and Kaidan, both having watched me neck the first bottle. “Thirsty, sir?” Kaidan joked.

“Just a little.” Turning to Ashley, I added, “Congratulations on the… move.”

“Thank you, sir. Will take a little time adjusting to working on a ship.”

“Haven’t been on here long myself. None of us have.”

“You okay?” Kaidan asked.

“I’m fine for the moment. Still have a bit of a headache but that’s okay. Ash?”

“Fine, sir. Just… You know, losing people and all. Never really get used to it. Entire team was wiped out by those… things.”

“You survived, Ash. Now you fight on, carry their legacy, fight in their names.”

That earned a slight smile. “You do the same?”

“In a manner of speaking… You obviously know who I am and what I’ve done.”

“Everyone does, sir,” Alenko stated.

“Goddamned war hero, sir,” Ashley added.

“Didn’t feel like one then. I was just lucky to survive. Lot of people died around me. And…” I trailed off and sighed. They didn’t need telling that I’d lost someone close. “Anyway, just wanted to make sure you guys are alright. Ever been to the Citadel?” Both shook their heads. “Me either. Joker should be bringing us in. Should be a great view from the cockpit.”

We headed up together, passing through the CIC, Anderson standing at the galaxy map, a couple of enlisted crew around him, taking notes. He glanced my way and nodded as we passed. Down the bridge towards the cockpit, Joker recognised us coming.

“Flight Lieutenant Moreau.”

He gave me a look. “Come on, Commander. Everyone else calls me Joker.” I gave him a look and smirked. “Been to the Citadel before?”

“None of us have. That’s why we’re here.”

“Good. Now watch a genius at work as I bring this baby into dock.”

As the Citadel came into view, it was the sort of thing you’d see in sci-fi movies. But the ship that was passed was something else entirely, Alenko informing us it was the _Destiny Ascension_, flagship of the Citadel fleet. In addition to that, we saw numerous turian, asari and salarian vessels, all of them part of the fleet that protected the Citadel. There were not just warships as there were what seemed like thousands of freighters and transport ships. The Citadel was very much the hub of galactic politics and trade, so I’d read and been told.

Docking completed, Anderson met us after we’d set foot onto the Citadel, leading us towards the Presidium and the ambassador’s office. Soon as we arrived, Udina called the Council and things went downhill rather fast. Still, despite what sounded like a bad tempered conversation, the Council had launched an investigation into our claims and did grant us an audience for later that day, so that was something. But Udina knew they wouldn’t take kindly to accusing Saren of treason.

“Well then the Council can kiss my arse,” I stated.

He just gave me a look. I hate politicians. All they do is talk endlessly. “Settle down, Commander. You’ve already done more than enough to jeopardise your candidacy for the Spectres. The mission on Eden Prime was a chance to prove you can get the job done. Instead, Nihlus is dead and the beacon destroyed.”

“And the causes of that are all in my report,” I practically growled.

“It was Saren, not Shepard,” Anderson added, nearly as pissed off as I was.

“Then you’d better hope C-Sec’s investigation turns up something. Otherwise the Council will use this as an excuse to keep you out of the Spectres.”

I felt like saying ‘I don’t really give a shit’, but that would have been throwing it back in the face of Anderson, as I had a feeling he’d been the one to put my name forward as a candidate. As I stayed silent, Udina requested Anderson to remain, giving the three of us free time for the moment but to meet at the Council Tower in a few hours.

Not knowing the Presidium at all, we eventually started talking to some sort of Virtual Interface called Avina. It, or she, as it was voiced by an asari, gave us directions to get around, and was full of information about the history of the Citadel, the races that inhabited it, and even some history about humanity and our role there. We were still rather new, having only entered the galactic scene in the past few decades. Our first contact was with the turians, which didn’t go well, engaging in a short war with them before the asari made their presence known, and humanity realised that the galaxy was teeming with sentient life, all as advanced, if not even more advanced than our own.

I wouldn’t say the Presidium was exactly teeming with life, but we saw many races, including hanar, which are big, pink.... well, jellyfish looking things. Volus, who seemed to wear suits and spoke in a strange manner. Even saw a quarian or two about. Didn’t know much about them but knew they generally kept to themselves as a people.

Part of me really wanted a beer but I didn’t think that would be a sensible decision prior to the meeting, the three of us eventually ending up at a bar that sold coffee, tea, juices and other non-alcoholic beverages. If I couldn’t have alcohol, coffee was always a great option, making sure it was as strong as possible. Ash enjoyed a tea while Alenko was happy with a juice. We chatted a little bit, not getting too personal, figuring we’d probably be spending a lot of time together, so we could get to know each other slowly. Alenko rubbed his forehead from time to time, admitting that he occasionally suffered really bad headaches because of his implant. Seeing our confused faces, he told us he’d explain it later.

Receiving a message from Anderson saying it was time for the meeting, we headed up the Council Tower, which provided a spectacular view of the Presidium. The amount of greenery and blue water made one wonder, considering it was a space station in the middle of space. It really was teeming with all sort of life. The five arms of the Citadel were called wards, and apparently that was where the excitement really happened, and hoped we’d eventually get a chance to visit each one.

Entering the Council chamber itself, it was obvious this was the centre of galactic power. It was exquisite and surprisingly peaceful. Ahead of us were a pair of turians in a heated discussion. One of them was telling the other, called Garrus, to drop his investigation. The other turian turned and strode away, while Garrus turned towards me and seemed to recognise me immediately.

“Commander Shepard?”

He offered his hand, which I accepted. “Garrus Vakarian, C-Sec. I was the officer in charge of the investigation into Saren Arterius.”

“Find anything?”

“I’ve been stonewalled completely, Commander, and that’s being completely honest. As he’s a Spectre, everything he does is classified. I can’t find any hard evidence. I can only wish you luck with the Council. Maybe they’ll listen to you.”

“Here’s hoping.”

Anderson was waiting for us, whispering the hearing had commenced already. Walking up the stairs, it was easy to see the power structure. The Council was separate and elevated higher than where Udina was currently standing. And it was going about as well as one could hope. The Council dismissed any allegations against Saren, claiming no evidence. To be honest, we didn’t have much, and I still didn’t like mentioning my vision.

The Council were no help and Saren was a smug prick, though he knew he held all the cards. He called out Anderson and then went after me. It was obvious to me that he hated humans. Why? No idea, and to be honest, I didn’t really care. All I knew was that he was responsible for Eden Prime but was going to get away with it. The outcome as expected, Saren claiming ‘justice was served’ before his hologram disappeared.

We remained silent as we walked our way back to Udina’s office. A meeting was quickly held regarding our next step, though the admission of history between Anderson and Saren, which was obvious from the Council meeting, was a slight surprise, Anderson admitting that it was something we’d have to discuss later. For now, Udina made a sensible suggestion that we needed hard evidence, something that would pin it all on Saren.

The best plan was to find the C-Sec investigator, Garrus, see what he knew and if he could help. It seemed everything was being pinned on me, mentioning it seemed Anderson was getting sidetracked. Thankfully, he admitted stepping aside was for the best considering the history he had with Saren, so for now, everything would be on me.

I was given the name of a C-Sec contact, man by the name of Harkin, who would help us locate Garrus. Other than that, he mentioned contacting a volus by the name of Barla Von. In addition to many things, he was apparently someone who worked for the Shadow Broker. I’d heard of the name before. No-one knew who he, she or they were, but they were an information dealer on a galactic scale.

It had been a long day but I figured we could at least talk to this volus then find Garrus before ending the day. Finding our way to Barla Von’s office, trying to converse with him seemed to take forever due to the nature of his breathing. He knew who I was though. Everyone seemed to know I’d arrived. Frankly, it was a little disconcerting.

The good news is that he gave me the requested information. Even better was that he gave it up for free. Apparently Saren had double crossed the Shadow Broker, who was now rather pissed off himself, and eager to see Saren taken down. In addition, Saren had conned another Shadow Broker operative by the name of Fist, who ran Chora’s Den, one of the better clubs on the Presidium. In retaliation, the Shadow Broker had decided to send someone after Fist, a krogan bounty hunter who had obviously gained attention, as the krogan were very rare to see anywhere, and he was currently under arrest at C-Sec.

Thanking the volus, we headed to C-Sec straight away. The krogan wasn’t under arrest, but he was surrounded by half a dozen officers, one of them questioning his motives regarding his time on the Citadel. The krogan straight out told them he was there to settle a matter with Fist, though he wasn’t dumb enough to say he was going to kill him. C-Sec told him to back off and not approach Chora’s Den or Fist. The krogan simply took that as a challenge, but as he hadn’t done anything wrong, they let him go.

The krogan turned to me and seemed interested as to my presence. “Who are you?” the krogan asked.

“Commander Shepard. You?”

“Urdnot Wrex. Shepard… Shepard… Know that name. Something in the news just recently.”

“Yeah, shit hit the fan and now I’m trying to solve it. Don’t mean to intrude, but you mentioned Fist and Chora’s Den. I believe we might be after the same person.”

He looked at me cautiously. Didn’t blame him. “What do you want with him?”

“I need evidence to take down Saren in regards to his attack on Eden Prime. Barla Von pointed me in his direction.”

“I don’t know anything about that. I do know a turian C-Sec officer is working on it though.”

“Perhaps the same turian. If you’re going after Fist, though, I want in.”

I glanced my two colleagues. Ashley kept her face blank, Alenko simply shrugged his shoulders. “Okay, if you want to join us, you can. We’re heading to Chora’s Den to speak with a contact there. Hopefully he’ll point us in the right direction.”

Finding our way to Chora’s, it was obviously a seedier part of the Presidium. The kind of place I’d frequent while on furlough. Aside from the bar and platform where a number of asari and human women were gyrating, the music was banging and there was a smell in the air. The sort of smell you usually find in a strip bar. Sweat. Desperation. Alcohol. All it did was remind me that I actually hadn’t been laid in quite a while. One or two of the dancers certainly took the eye, no shame in running an eye up and down as a waitress walked by with a tray of drinks.

We found Harkin sitting by himself in a dark corner of the club, probably four or five drinks in already. He looked up at us and smirked. I’d dealt with this sort of arsehole before so I glanced at the krogan next to me. “Wrex, if he starts acting up, you have my permission to hit him.” The krogan just mumbled as I took a seat across from Harkin. “I know who you are. You might know who I am. All I’m going to do is ask you a few questions. I would like you to answer them.” He didn’t reply, simply glaring at me, so I asked, “Where’s Garrus?”

That made him laugh. “Oh, yes, that’s right. You’re one of Captain Anderson’s pets, aren’t you? He’s had a hard on for taking down Saren for years now.”

“Wrex.”

The krogan took one step forward, Harkin holding up his hands. “Whoa, easy now! I know where Garrus is. But, tell me this, has Anderson told you why he has such a problem with Saren? His big secret?"

“No,” I replied cautiously.

He laughed again. “Of course he hasn’t because it’s a fucking embarrassment! The captain used to be a Spectre. Didn’t know that, did you? It was all very hush-hush. First human ever inducted and then he blew it.”

“How or why?”

“The mission he was on with Saren, he screwed it up. Blames Saren for everything, claims he was set up. But, in the end, they kicked him out.”

“If it’s such a secret, how do you know?”

He just scoffed. “You think something like that wouldn’t get out? The Citadel is full of secrets, and C-Sec hears nearly every single one.”

I sighed. “Look, I’m not here about that. Where’s Garrus? Tell me, otherwise…” I trailed off, gesturing to Wrex, who pounded a fist into his palm.

Harkin wasn’t dumb. “He’s been sniffing around Dr. Michel’s office. Think he fancies her or something. Not sure. But you’ll probably find him there.” Harkin then looked at Wrex. “And I know who you are. And I can see the half dozen krogan that have now moved in here. I would suggest you and the Commander don’t start any trouble with Fist.”

Wrex simply grumbled with laughter. I suggested we head after Garrus, though mentioned once outside, that we would return to deal with Fist.

“Places like that make my skin crawl,” Ash stated once outside.

“What? They’re harmless places… Mostly…” I replied.

“Don’t you feel… used, or dirty after visiting one?”

I laughed. “Ash, I could tell you things about what I get up to while on furlough that would probably change your opinion of me quite quickly.”

“Boys on tour?” Alenko asked, obviously rhetorical.

“Ugh, I’ve seen what some of you soldier boys get up to,” Ash muttered.

The med clinic was only a short walk away, though walking into the middle of a gunfight wasn’t how I’d intended to find the doctor. Garrus was in cover, noticing us as we all took out our pistols. The thugs were questioning the doctor about a quarian. The doctor told them what they wanted to hear before noticing our presence. Garrus got off a shot, putting a bullet through the head of one of them, the doctor screaming as one of the others grabbed her. I kept him in sights as the firing continued. Once I was confident, I didn’t hesitate, putting a bullet between his eyes, the doctor being dragged to the floor as well. With her out of the way, we put down the other thugs easily enough.

Helping the doctor up, she was frightened but eager to tell us what she knew. She’d recently treated a quarian on the run, and that the thugs had shown up, being sent by Fist, to find out what she knew and where the quarian had headed. After quickly consoling her, though she insisted she was fine, Garrus suggested she head to C-Sec to report. Garrus then asked if he could help assist bring down Fist and help the investigation. I figured that was a good idea.

“You like her,” Alenko stated as we made our way back to Chora’s.

“What?”

“The doctor. You like her. Or she likes you. Yeah, definitely like her.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Garrus retorted defensively.

I laughed as Alenko teased him, the turian getting ever more flustered, as I think Alenko was right. The way she’d gone straight to him, and the way she had looked at him… I’ll admit I can’t read turians very well yet, but he was so awkward around her, yeah, he definitely liked her but was clearly clueless as to approaching her.

The chatter subsided the closer we got to Chora’s. The music we had heard thumping, even from outside, had disappeared. The doors were also shut as well. We took up positions by the door, Ash and I take out grenades. “Flash bangs,” I whispered, Ash nodding. Counting down, I opened the door and we threw them in, hearing gunfire erupt before the grenades exploded.

Counting down again, we headed inside and opened fire. Ash, Kaidan and I only had pistols, not expecting to be in a gunfight, Wrex had a shotgun while Garrus was armed with an assault rifle. I won’t say we made short work of the thugs inside, but the most they did to use was cause our shields to falter for a moment. No wounds were taking, and we mopped up the bar area rather quickly. Wrex did deal with the krogan bouncer we’d seen earlier, taking delight in putting a shotgun shell into his face.

Moving deeper into the club, we ran into a couple of armed workers, clearly not the thugs we’d just dealt with. I said if they dropped their weapons and pissed off, they’d live. They gratefully took the deal, even thanking us for letting them go. Wrex gave them a kick up the backside as they passed. We found Fist in the back lounge, where his office also was. The bastard had a couple of turrets, I guess some sort of last stand thing. Alenko took care of those by making them blow up, and I put a bullet into Fist’s leg, causing him to fall down, losing grip of the pistol. He went to grab it, so I shot the ground, forcing his hand away. Wrex then bounded over and grabbed Fist by the collar, dragging him into the middle of the room.

“Don’t kill me. Please!” he begged. Wrex laughed though he didn’t fire, knowing I needed answers.

Crouching down next to Fist, I said, “If you tell me what I need to know, I won’t kill you.”

“Okay, whatever you want.”

“Where’s the quarian?”

“The quarian? Oh, yes, the quarian! I sent her to meet with the Shadow Broker. She would only talk to him directly about whatever she’d discovered.”

“Bullshit. No-one talks to the Shadow Broker directly,” Wrex informed, “Clients only talk to one of his agents.”

“Well, yeah, but she didn’t know that. So I sent her to speak with the ‘Shadow Broker’.”

“Who will she meet instead?” I asked.

He sighed. “She’ll be meeting some assassins instead. I mean, if you move now, you might just make it in time.”

“Shit, that’s just great,” I muttered, rising tall as I got ready to move.

“So, can I go?” he asked.

I looked down at him. “Oh, I said I wouldn’t kill you, Fist. And I don’t break my word.” I paused before adding and gesturing, “Him on the other hand…”

Fist screamed as Wrex aimed his shotgun and fired. It made a right mess of Fist considering Wrex was only a few feet away. Ash and Kaidan looked away while Garrus chuckled. “Harsh, Commander, but fair.”

“Well, I didn’t lie. I didn’t kill him.”

“Thanks, Shepard,” Wrex added, “Most wouldn’t have allowed that to happen.”

I just shrugged before suggesting we get a move on. As we exited, C-Sec were arriving, apparently reports about a gunfight. They recognised who I was and that Garrus was with us. Quickly explaining what we needed, they let us go, though I could see their looks at Wrex. He said nothing, simply following us in silence.

We found the quarian just as she was about to be killed. Ordering to open fire immediately, she was smart enough to take cover, taking out a pistol of her own, as the five of us laid waste to the assassins. The last one stayed in cover and was a real bitch to take down, Alenko eventually using his biotics to drag him out so we could kill him. I had no doubt C-Sec would soon be arriving, so approached the quarian, who definitely remained cautious despite the fact we’d just saved her life.

“I knew that bastard set me up.”

“You okay?” I asked. She was the first quarian I’d ever met.

“I know how to look after myself, not that I don’t appreciate the help.” Ah, she had a feisty side. “Who are you?”

“Commander Shepard. This is Lieutenant Alenko, Chief Williams, Garrus Vakarian and… Wrex.”

“Pleased to meet you all, and while I thank you again, what brought you here?”

“We’re looking for evidence to prove Saren Arterius is a traitor. I’ve been led to believe you might have that evidence.”

“Then I have a chance to repay you for saving my life. But not here. We need to go somewhere safe.”

“We’ll take you to our embassy. We’ll be safe there and the ambassador will definitely want to hear what you have to say.”

That sounded like a plan, so Tali made my little group six, and we headed back to the embassy. It had been one hell of a day so far.


	3. Book 1, Chapter 3 - The First Human Spectre

“You aren’t making my life easy Shepard. Firefights in the wards, an all-out assault on Chora’s Den. Do you know how many people…” He fell silent for a moment as he looked upon my new friends, definitely not expecting a krogan and a quarian. “A krogan? A quarian? What the hell are you up to, Shepard?”

“Maybe if you shut up for five seconds, I could explain myself.”

“Shepard!” Anderson barked.

“I mean no disrespect to you, sir,” I stated, looking at him, “But I’ve just had a really shit day trying to sort this out and will not put up with disrespect from the likes of him.”

I just glared at Udina and I was surprised he wilted so fast. Maybe I was more intimidating than I thought? Or maybe it was the giant krogan behind me? “I apologise, Commander. This whole thing with Saren has got me a bit on edge.”

“All of us are, sir,” I replied, accepting the apology.

“Of course.” He looked to my side. “And if you have evidence, I would like to hear it, Miss…?”

“My name is Tali. Tali’Zorah nar Rayya.”

She then explained what brought her to the Citadel, having left her fleet on what they call a Pilgrimage, a rite of passage into adulthood. Basically, it was a case of they were sent off into the wide galaxy, only returning when they had found something that could be of value to the fleet. She added that many quarians don’t actually return, not because of failure, but because they preferred to live amongst the other species.

Then she got to the point, not that any of us hurried her. Humanity had limited to no contact with any quarians so she was telling us things none of us knew. She had heard reports of geth, something that peaked her curiosity, considering the geth rarely if ever left the Veil. She tracked a patrol of geth, something quite brave for a lone quarian, before managing to get one of them alone, disabling it and removing its memory core. Anderson was definitely impressed by that revelation. She hadn’t been able to save much but what she had saved was audio that was the evidence we needed.

“_Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit.”_

Anderson couldn’t quite contain his excitement as it was clearly Saren’s voice on the tape. If the Council wanted evidence he was involved, they now had it.

Tali then stated there was more audio, a second voice. “_And one step closer to the return of the Reapers.”_

None of us recognised the second voice. Barley any of us knew what a Reaper was. Tali knew a little bit, apparently responsible for the demise of the Prothean civilisation that had existed fifty-thousand years before us. Apparently all the Reapers did was show up, wipe out the Protheans, then disappeared without a trace.

Udina was sceptical but I gave it some thought then clicked my fingers. “Hang on, she’s right, or at least it makes sense. My contact with the beacon on Eden Prime, the visions. It was some sort of… warning perhaps. But I understand the vision at least a little better. It was the Reapers wiping out the Protheans. I’m sure of it.”

“The geth appear to revere the Reapers as gods,” Tali added, “The pinnacle of non-organic life. And they believe Saren knows how to bring the Reapers back.”

“I’m not sure the Council will believe everything about the Reapers, but we definitely have the proof we need to prove Saren is a traitor,” Udina stated, “It’s rather late now. We’ll present our findings to the Council tomorrow.” He paused before adding, “Good work, Commander.”

“Thanks.”

Heading out of the embassy, we gathered out the front. Alenko, Ash and I would head back to the ship. Garrus had his own place, Wrex has his own room in a hotel on one of the Wards, but Tali had nowhere to stay, so we offered her a bunk back on the ship, agreeing to meet up with Garrus and Wrex in the morning before we met the Council. Garrus wanted to see Saren taken down, Wrex admitted he simply had nothing better to do.

I was absolutely starving by now, so the first place we visited on our return to the ship was the mess, where I quickly scoffed down a couple of plates of meat, potatoes and veggies. “Must have got fresh supplies after docking,” Alenko stated.

As the three of us ate, I noticed Tali attached something to the front of her mask, almost like a toothpaste container. Asking what it was, she said it was simply the way her people ate food most of the time. I thought we might have offended her, but she just laughed and said we must have been hungry after fighting across the Citadel.

After a quick shower, the four of us sat back with a drink, going over events of the day and what we expected the next. We were all yawning after a few minutes. Alenko was happy to sleep in one of the pods. Being new to the ship, Ash and Tali had the choice of a pod or a bunk. Tali chose a pod but Ash wanted to sleep on a mattress. Once Alenko and Tali were comfortable, Ash and I headed to the bunkroom.

I undressed quickly. You get used to the lack of privacy and one shouldn’t be too modest. I kept on my underwear, but otherwise I lay back on my bed. I did glance to see Ashley undressing down to her underwear. If she knew I was looking, she didn’t make a fuss. She was fit, very fit. An athletic shape to her body that made her a knock out immediately in my eyes. Couldn’t quite figure out her bust size due to the sports bra, but when she bent over, there was enough cleavage on display to be slightly arousing. That’s when she did meet my eyes, simply smirking. I just looked away though wasn’t embarrassed.

Surprisingly, she hopped up onto the bunk above me, then peeked over the side. “Is every day like this with you, sir?”

“We’re not on duty, Ash. Call me Shepard.”

“Well?”

“To be honest, my life can be a little bit nuts at times. Past couple of days have been extreme though. You?”

“I’m used to boring postings on colony worlds.”

“I mean no offence but how the hell are you still only a Chief?”

“My last name is Williams, Shepard. Think about it for a few seconds and you’ll understand.”

I did and all I could say was, “Oh…”

“Yeah. That’s why.”

“But it’s bullshit and clearly unfair on you.”

“Don’t sweat it, Shepard. I’m used to being continually passed over for promotion. I know this is the level they will keep me at until… God only knows when.”

“Think Anderson could help you? He’s certainly helped me in the past.”

“We’ll see, Shepard. He was nice enough to get me posted onto this ship. Let’s just see how things go first.”

I yawned again. “Yeah, let’s see what happens tomorrow first. Anyway, see you in the morning as I definitely need shut eye.”

“You and me both, Shepard. G’night.”

I slept like a log that night, my alarm waking me as always, though I pressed snooze at least once, Ash eventually climbing down and shaking me gently, suggesting I get up. After a quick shower and dressing, we joined Alenko and Tali for breakfast, more of the crew joining us with plenty of questions about what was happening. We gave them some details, as apparently the events of the previous day had made the news. My name may have been mentioned at least once, regarding the fight inside Chora’s Den. I wasn’t being blamed for Fist, though. I think I was being helped on that one.

Returning to the embassy, Anderson and Udina were waiting for our return, Udina informing us that the Council would meet with us first due to the seriousness of the matter. Garrus and Wrex met us outside and our group headed for the Council Tower. I’m sure we looked like a right group, a bunch of humans being followed by three different species. Garrus was muttering about finally taking down Saren, left feeling he really didn’t like him. Wrex said we should just get a ship, find Saren, and kill him. Wasn’t a bad idea, we just needed to find him first.

Riding the elevator, Wrex asked, “So, Shepard, have you heard of the Consort Sha’ira?”

“Yes, I have.”

“Been to see her yet?”

Anderson burst out laughing at the blunt question, though he knew what I was like. “Haven’t had the opportunity yet. Have you?”

“No, she’s rather particular in regards to her clients, though some of the girls she has working for her are a real delight. Some will even put up with a krogan.”

“What makes you think she’ll see me? Add to that, I’ve heard she’s quite expensive.”

“But worth every single credit, Shepard. I may not have enjoyed an experience but I know many who have. Most become regular customers after the first time.”

“You’re not serious, are you?” Ash asked.

I shrugged. “I’m a single guy and she’s not the usual standard of, um, working girl.”

“Are you seriously discussing getting off at a time like this, Shepard?” Udina grumbled.

He had a point, so I shut up, Wrex rumbling with laughter to himself, Alenko glancing my way with a smirk as well. Approaching the Council chamber, we were allowed in as the Council was already in place, ready for us to start.

I know Udina loved having the Council over a barrel. It wasn’t exactly an embarrassment for them… No, it was. Even though we’d had no evidence, Saren had played them for fools. To be fair, Udina could have gloated and crowed about what we found. Instead, all he did was present the evidence, and it was undeniable. The Council would have to throw him out now and leave him as nothing more than a fugitive.

The turian councillor immediately stated that Saren would be stripped of his Spectre status and efforts would be made to locate and arrest him. The asari councillor recognised the second voice as Matriarch Benezia. No idea who that was, though the councillor was polite enough to give all of us a brief explanation as to who or what a matriarch is.

“Matriarch Benezia is a powerful biotic, and she has many followers. She will make a formidable ally for Saren,” she added.

The salarian councillor wanted to know about the Reapers. We told him what Tali told us, the salarian wanting to know what Saren planned with the Conduit. This just pissed off the turian councillor, who refused to believe that Saren wanted to wipe out life in the galaxy. I could just about see his point, but Saren was going out of his way to prove he wanted to end it all.

Basically, the Council didn’t believe us about the Reaper threat, calling them a myth cocked up by Saren and Benezia to cover their own crimes. If they wanted to believe that, fine. Udina then made his demand regarding a fleet being sent into the Traverse to flush him out. That suggestion went down like a lead balloon, the Council dismissing it immediately.

Udina was well and truly pissed off by now. So was I. So was Anderson. Udina was just about to really let fly with accusations when the asari councillor offered an olive branch. Knowing what she meant, the turian councillor didn’t agree, believing it was too soon.

“You don’t have to send a fleet into the Traverse, and Udina gets his human Spectre. Everybody’s happy,” I stated.

The asari and salarian were immediately on board with the idea. The turian remained silent, head down as he thought. I assumed it would require unanimous agreement before he finally looked up and met my eyes. His nod was brief, but it was a nod of agreement.

“Commander Shepard, step forward,” the asari requested.

Glancing at Anderson, he returned a brief smile and nod before I stepped towards the edge of the platform, Udina moving out of the way. I looked around and noticed plenty of diplomats and others in the crowd, leaning forward to take in proceedings. I guess I was at the centre of what was going to be a momentous day in our history.

“It is the decision of the Council that you be granted all the powers and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel.”

“Spectres are not trained, but chosen. Individuals forged in the fires of service and battle; those whose actions elevate them above the rank and file.”

“Spectres are an ideal, a symbol. The embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of our will.”

“Spectres bear a great burden. They are protectors of galactic peace, both our first and last line of defence. The safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold.”

“You are the first human Spectre, Commander. This is a great accomplishment for you and your entire species.”

“I am honoured, Councillors,” I stated, a polite nod of the head. No time for sarcasm or anything else at a moment like that.

“We’re sending you into the Traverse after Saren,” the asari explained, “He’s a fugitive from justice, so you are authorised to use any means necessary to apprehend or eliminate him.”

And that was it, the Council adjourned the meeting with little fan-fare, though there was polite applause from the galleries around us. Anderson shook my hand, congratulating me on my promotion, Udina already planning in regards to what I would require, suggesting it was going to take at least a few days before everything would be ready. I had no idea what he planned, so would leave it up to him and Anderson to sort out.

It had been a few days since I’d last had a beer, so I suggested, as a way of celebrating, we do just that. Well, the humans and krogan could drink beer, Garrus explaining on the way to a nearby pub that he couldn’t drink what we did, and that turian brandy was a real delight. Tali was apparently the same as Garrus regarding what food and drink she could consume, and admitted she very rarely drank alcohol.

But we found a bar that would let us all in, including Wrex, who told me that his kind were often barred from establishments, though he suggested we should really hit one of the Wards another time. Thinking we might have a little time on the Citadel, I figured we could do it before Udina had organised whatever he was cooking up. No real idea, to be honest.

Alenko and Ash proved to be rather lightweights, the pair taking Tali back to the ship, who had about three brandies, the same as Garrus, before she practically passed out. It was rather amusing as the pair helped carry her out of the pub. That left me with Garrus and Wrex, the latter mentioning the Consort again. “You should go see her,” Wrex stated.

“What? Now?”

“Sure, why not? I’ll put it like this; when did you last get laid?”

“Hmmm…”

“And you, Vakarian?”

“Oh, um… I don’t know…”

“Look, there’s not just the Consort there. Lots of pretty girls, mostly asari but there are a few humans who work there now. Not all of them will just let you fuck them. Some actually provided other services. You ever fucked an asari, Shepard?”

“A couple. Same line of work, to be honest.”

Wrex rumbled with laughter again. “They are certainly flexible during their maiden phase. Makes me feel like a dirty old krogan.”

Garrus and I burst into laughter as I’m sure he could have got rather descriptive, certainly left wondering how old he really was. I knew asari lived for up to a millennium. I had a feeling krogan could live even longer.

I drained my beer. “Fuck it, if I drink any more, if I did end up going, downstairs won’t work. You two coming?”

“Fuck yes!” Wrex roared, pounding the table with his fist.

Garrus looked a little awkward before downing his drink. “What the hell? Just… I’m not doing it in front of you two. That’s just weird.”

More time had passed than I thought, checking the time to see it was late afternoon. Arriving at the Consort’s place, the receptionist was friendly but in a round about way told us to piss off, simply because the Consort was booked up for weeks. Wrex asked about any other girls, and before she could respond, the Consort asked for me to be allowed in.

Leaving Wrex and Garrus near the front, a couple of girls approaching them straight away, I was led through to the Consort’s private chamber. I’ll say right now, she was an utter beauty. No wonder she had so many customers. She certainly dazzled me, making sure I was sat down, drink in hand, as she curled up next to me.

“Word has spread quickly, Commander. The first human Spectre. I believe congratulations are in order.”

“That’s why we’re here.”

“Yes, but the reason I’ve invited you back here is… Well, I know you are a man who can get things done, rather obviously. I was hoping you might perform a small favour for me. Do this, and you will be richly rewarded.”

I hoped she meant sex. I would happily take payment in sex. “What do you need me to do?”

“A dear old friend of mine by the name of General Septimus has taken to spreading nasty rumours about me. I’m hoping that you could speak to him, man to man, soldier to soldier.”

“Do you know where he is?”

“Well, if Chora’s Den has re-opened, you will usually find him there, drinking himself into oblivion. If not, you’ll find him at one of the other numerous watering holes around the Presidium.”

Chora’s Den was still closed so, with a brief description, I found myself wandering around until I eventually found him around an hour later. My face must have been on the news or something as it seemed everyone recognised me nowadays. Taking a seat across from him, he knew who I was and guessed rather quickly why I was there.

I was surprised at the speed at which he folded. I didn’t know a lot about turians but I knew honour mattered than anything. I understood why he’d flown off the handle but I told him to straighten himself up and started acting like a general. He remained silent before finally sighing, nodding his head, agreeing his behaviour had been unseemly, suggesting he would write a letter of apology to Sha’ira. But it wasn’t that simple, as because of the rumours, an elcor diplomat had made an official complaint. I now had to go see him to ensure Sha’ira was left alone.

Convincing the elcor wasn’t too difficult once I’d told him what Septimus had told me. I think he was left feeling more embarrassed than anything, though assured me he would remove the complaint immediately. I thanked him for his assistance, heading back out into the Presidium, where by now, night had fallen.

Wandering back into the Consort’s Chamber, Wrex had disappeared while Garrus was being awkward with the asari who was sitting next to him. Asking where Wrex was, one of the girls told me that he was currently in a room with two asari. I chuckled to myself as I made my way to Sha’ira’s private chamber.

She was delighted to hear the matter was resolved and so quickly. When it came to a reward, she told me that, to start, it would be a gift of words. Not knowing quite what she meant, she stepped close to me, allowing me to gaze into her blue eyes. She was very attractive anyway, but something about those eyes… No wonder so many men seemed to love her.

“I offer a gift of words, an affirmation of who you are, and who you will become. I see your skin, tough as the scales of any turian. Unyielding. A wall between you and everyone else. But it protects you, makes you strong. It is that strength that people are drawn to. It is why you lead and others follow, without question. You will need that leadership in the battles to come. This may be who you are, but it is not who you will become. It only forms the basis for your future greatness. Remember these words when doubt descends, Commander.”

Then she kissed me, a soft one on the lips before she took a couple of steps back, reached behind her, and undid her dress, watching it pool around her feet. She was completely naked and I couldn’t help run my eyes up and down her body before she stepped closer, her mouth eager for mine as I ran my hands up and down her smooth skin. Kissing was… well, it was rather unusual. Most girls in her line of work didn’t do that.

My clothes disappeared quite quickly as she moved us back to the bed where she kissed down my body before sitting on the edge, taking my cock in her mouth, causing my head to roll back as I groaned. Looking down, she looked up into my eyes as my cock disappeared into her mouth, her head moving back and forth. Running a hand around the back of her head, I had to stop myself really losing myself in the moment, allowing her to maintain most of the control.

“Holy shit,” I muttered.

“Where would you like to cum, Shepard?”

“Oh, anywhere. I really don’t care.”

“Very well. Because you did me such a favour, I will swallow what you give me. I hope you will be ready to perform again soon.”

“Trust me, that won’t be a problem at all.”

She took what I gave her a few minutes later. I felt like I’d died and gone to heaven, my knees going weak, feeling rather lightheaded. She kept right on blowing me though, even after I was empty, until I finally rested a hand on her shoulder to keep me upright. Only then did she release me, looking up with a smile. I turned and sat next to her before lying back on the bed. “Jesus Christ, that was… I’m not sure what to say…”

She lay next to me, hearing her giggle, an unexpected sound to be honest. “Let’s just say I’ve had some practice.”

“Want the favour returned?”

“While it would fill me with joy, Shepard, I would prefer something else. I will give you a few minutes to recover though.”

Shuffling back, we lay together on her bed, looking around her room. It wasn’t bare, artwork lining the walls, and there was a fireplace, obviously fake. Her bed was rather simple though the sheets we were laying on felt expensive. She lay on her side, running her hand up and down my chest. It felt surprisingly intimate considering.

“Shepard, I wish to ask a favour of you.”

“Another one? Sure, why not…”

“When we make love in a few minutes, I wish to meld with you. To an asari, it is the most intimate act we can share with a partner. Usually it is to produce offspring. I am in my matron stage, so I cannot. But I feel a connection with you and wish to… know you better. Have you ever melded before?”

“No. I’ve been with asari but it’s only ever been, you know, physical.”

She lifted herself up, looking down into my eyes. “Will you meld with me tonight?”

“Why?” I had to ask.

She rested her hand on my chest, above my heart. “I feel something in you that… It is something I rarely if ever do with clients. But you, Shepard, you… intrigue me. I wish to… know you better.”

“Will it hurt?”

That made her giggle again. “No, Shepard. You will simply know me as well as I will know you.” She moved, eventually straddling my groin, lifting herself up and sliding down my cock, hearing her moan lightly as I couldn’t help groan. Leaning forward to gently kiss me, she looked into my eyes. “Open your mind, Shepard. Let me know who you really are.” Then she closed her eyes before they opened again. “Embrace eternity.”

I’m not sure what happened over the next few minutes, at least physically. I’m sure we were fucking, making love, whatever you want to call it. But I could feel Sha’ira… in my mind. That’s the easiest way to describe it. And while she was doing that, she spoke to me.

_Free your mind, Shepard. Let me see who you really are._

So I did. She would have learned nearly everything about me. From the orphanage to the streets.

_You believe you are alone. Yet you will always protect those weaker than yourself._

_The strong must protect the weak. I simply did what I believe was right._

I felt her press further into my memories, into my training at boot camp and the marines.

_You are strong, Shepard, both physically and mentally. I believe you found the training… not easy but certainly easier than many of your companions._

_Anderson always said I was a born soldier. Many must be trained. To me, it felt… natural. Almost like a calling that I nearly missed._

She pressed further on, into Elysium. And that’s when I blocked her.

_You saved the colony, Shepard. You were a hero. Yet, I sense…_

_No…_

_I sense… heartache… pain… loss…_

_No…_

She broke the meld, hearing her moan as she slowed down. “Shepard,” she whispered.

“I can’t talk about it. I can’t think about it,” I replied quietly.

I could sense she was upset, resting her forehead against mine. “You have a strength inside you that covers… something deeper, Shepard…”

She kissed me, and there was something in that kiss which suggested, I’m not sure. Running my hands down her back to rest on her arse, I started to thrust up into her, making her gasp as she didn’t move her head away from mine, now just staring into each other’s eyes. “Shepard,” she whispered.

I made her cum hard, which pleased me, feeling her squeeze my cock as she didn’t slow down nor think of stopping. Feeling her shake and shudder, I continued to thrust up into her, making her squeal as I could feel the oncoming orgasm myself. She continued to gaze into my eyes as I was now really pumping into her.

“Cum in me,” she whispered.

“Oh god,” I moaned, grabbing her arse tightly as I could feel the oncoming orgasm. It was going to be a good one.

“Shepard,” she breathed one last time before I felt myself erupt inside her, groaning loudly enough that I’m sure they heard me across the Citadel. Then I relaxed as I felt her rest against my chest, my hand immediately starting to caress her back despite the fact I suddenly felt rather tired.

We lay together in silence for a while before she moved so we could clean up. I was about ready to just get dressed to leave, sitting on the edge of the bed, when I felt her breasts press into my back, her arms loop around me. “Stay,” she whispered.

“What?”

“Stay with me tonight, Shepard.”

“Are you sure?”

“I want your company, just for tonight. We don’t have to do anything else, I would just like you to stay.”

So I stayed with her, heading to her shower where it was… well, it was surprisingly intimate, really getting to know her body. And the fact she wanted to kiss me continuously, it was something I wasn’t really used to. Drying each other off afterwards, she had a funny look in her eyes. It wasn’t romantic, it was… I’m not entirely sure.

Heading back to her bedroom, she certainly took the lead by spooning into me, making sure I held her close to me as she turned off the lights. It was only in the darkness that she finally asked, “Who was she?”

I knew she was going to ask eventually. And I figured being honest wouldn’t hurt. “She was the first one I ever loved,” I confessed.

“The depth of feeling, Shepard… It is something I rarely feel when melding…” I didn’t know what to say. “The overriding emotion I felt was guilt, Shepard.”

“It’s my fault.”

She turned around and I felt her hand caress my cheek. “It was not, Shepard. You are a man of undoubted courage and bravery, someone feted to do great things. Her loss is not the fault of yourself. It is the fault of those who chose to attack that day.”

“Maybe if she…” I trailed off and sighed.

I felt her hand trail down my body, resting on my chest again. “I have a gift of my own, Shepard. I can read people. You have had a hard life. You have done things you regret, that make you believe you are not worthy of where you are now. Yet you have done many good, if not great things already. You have earned the position you now hold through your talents, your intelligence, your determination and bravery. And you still have many trials and tribulations to face, which I know you will overcome. In the end, you will be triumphant.”

“Quite the gift if you know all that.”

I felt her lips on mine, a soft kiss that seemed to speak volumes. “I meet many people in my line of work, Shepard. I have met few like you.” I felt her shuffle before she pulled me on top of her, hand again caressing my cheek. “Be gentle,” she whispered as I slid inside her again.

She didn’t ask to meld this time and I opened my mind completely. She would now know absolutely everything about me. From my earliest memory, my time on the streets, my training as a marine, my time with Annie… Everything. I think I owed her that much, at least.

At the same time, I learned about her and… I felt she was alone as I felt at times. Maybe that’s why we felt a connection. Two lonely souls that just seemed to find each other. It wasn’t anything like love, certainly lust though.

Breaking the mould, the kissing we shared was certainly passionate, feeling her legs wrapped around me as I was now really driving my cock into her. “Goddess, Shepard,” she whispered. I just kissed her again, hearing and feeling her whimper into my mouth.

I lasted quite a while before I felt the urge, but now resting my forehead against hers. In the darkness, I could see her eyes watching mine. We didn’t really share many words. What did surprise me was her orgasm, feeling her clench as I continued to drive my cock into her, biting my shoulder to stifle her moans. I would have chuckled if I wasn’t so intent on enjoying my own orgasm, her fingers by now digging into my back, legs wrapped tightly.

“Fuck,” I groaned, feeling another orgasm approached.

“You must visit again,” she managed to whisper as I was now really driving into her.

“Absolutely,” I grunted.

We kissed again as I finally felt the bliss of release, burying myself one last time before I felt the need to rest on my forearms above her. She simply held me to her body, arms and legs wrapped around me, feeling her soft kisses on my cheek and forehead. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“For what?”

“For allowing me to see you. All of you.”

We needed to clean up again before we finally settled down, Sha’ira once again spooned against me. This time, we definitely needed to go to sleep, and I’ll admit, I slept rather well that night. First time in a while I went to bed with someone in my arms. Actually, first time since... Annie… Yes, it had been a very long time.

The next morning, I thought it would be awkward, but it surprisingly wasn’t. I thought I’d just get dressed and leave, but she made a quick call to her girls, and we had breakfast delivered. The human girl who delivered it met my eyes and smiled as I sat with Sha’ira at the table, and we managed to make conversation as we ate. While part of me would have liked to stay, I knew she had clients to see, though she did escort me to the entrance to her residence. She gave me a hug and wished me luck for the future. “I would like to see you again, Shepard,” she said.

“You would?” I asked in surprise.

The fact she nearly blushed definitely surprised me. “You are the first man in a long time who I have connected with in such a way. In my line of work, such an event is rare indeed. If you would like to…”

“Definitely.”

“I will tell Nelyna to make sure you will always be welcome.” She leaned forward to whisper into my ear, “Helping me with Septimus… You have certainly earned my favour, Shepard.” Then she kissed my cheek, met my eyes and smiled, before she turned and walked away, ensuring she put a sway into her hips. I watched until she disappeared around the corner.

“She likes you,” Nelyna stated.

“Huh?”

“She likes you, Shepard. Very rarely does anyone spend the night. And she’s pretty much just said you can come and go as you wish. So… She likes you.”

“But… really?”

Nelyna giggled. “Don’t fall in love with her, as that will only end in heartbreak for yourself. But if you wish for intimacy with no strings attached, Sha’ira would be perfect for you. As I said, she clearly likes you.”

“Let’s just see what happens first.”

“All you need do is speak to me first, Shepard. I’m sure she’ll make time for you in her schedule regardless.”

I certainly had a spring in my step as I left, heading straight for the _Normandy_. Not finding any of them on the ship, I sent a message to Alenko, he replying quickly that they were on the Presidium. I found everyone at a coffee ship, and the first question I received was from Ash, wondering where I was the night just gone.

“With Sha’ira,” I replied.

“The Consort?” Alenko asked, quite surprised.

“Yeah. Wrex, Garrus and I went last night.”

“So that’s where you disappeared to!” Wrex exclaimed, “I finished with my girls and headed out, finding Garrus tripping over his tongue with the poor girl who was trying to bed him.”

“I’m just not used to that sort of thing,” Garrus retorted, although the poor turian was obviously embarrassed.

I moved the conversation on quickly to what would be happening next. None of those around the table had heard anything, so we decided to head to the embassies for any news from Udina. He told us to be ready to board the _Normandy_ the next day, but when I looked at Anderson, he looked… unhappy. I tried to speak to him, but he told me that we would receive orders the next day and that, for now, we should just enjoy some rest and relaxation.

So we decided to head to one of the Wards, Garrus leading the way as he knew the Citadel better than any of us. Knowing we did have to depart soon, we were sensible that day and evening, all of us slowly getting to know one another. Wrex had a large personality and told everyone what he thought. Garrus was awkward but seemed to have his heart in the right place. Tali was shy and a little overawed by everything, though definitely had an inner-confidence that appeared from time to time. Alenko was a quiet and thoughtful chap, only sharing his opinion when pushed. Ashley, I believe, was still grieving all the losses on Eden Prime, and it was hard bringing her out of her shell.

We met Udina and Anderson by the _Normandy_ the next morning and that’s when we received the bombshell. Anderson would no longer be the Commanding Officer. Instead, the ship would be given to me as I was now a Spectre and needed all the tools required to hunt down Saren. I was put out just as much as Anderson, now understanding why he looked unhappy, but once Udina left having given the bad news, he explained that he accepted the decision.

“Doesn’t seem fair, sir. You’ve waited a long time for this role.”

“That is true, Shepard, but what you’re about to do is far more important. I’m sure the Alliance will find something else for me to do. Hope I’m not stuck behind a desk though.”

“Well, if I’m in charge, who would be my XO?”

“You have a few options. My best suggestion with be Pressly. He has years of experience and is ready for such a role. Your other option could be Alenko. He’s a good man, and I know has been earmarked as a potential XO after his time on the Normandy. In the end, it’s your decision.”

Anderson told me I did have a bit of paperwork to fill in back at the office before I left, so that left me with everyone else. Looking at Wrex, Garrus and Tali, I asked, “So… What do you guys want to do? Considering I’m not a Spectre and this is my vessel, I mean, you guys have already helped so far.”

“Would you like us to join you?” Garrus asked.

“Yes, the assistance provided by the three of you has been invaluable. And I’m not one to turn down help when offered.”

“I’m in. I was getting tired of C-Sec anyway. Far too much red tape. I think there are problems with the Spectres but I sense you’ll be a good one, Shepard,” Garrus stated.

Looking at Wrex, the giant krogan just shrugged. “Nothing better to do, Shepard. Might as well be flown around the galaxy, hopefully fighting big fucking monsters sometimes.”

Finally, Tali, who I didn’t think would want to hang around with her Pilgrimage, so I did mention that to her. “The Pilgrimage proves we are willing to give of ourselves for the greater good. What does it say about me if I turn my back on this? Saren is a danger to the entire galaxy. My Pilgrimage can wait.”

I couldn’t help grin, suggesting the three prepare to leave the Citadel. Wrex and Tali didn’t have anything, so they boarded the ship immediately. Garrus joined me as we headed back to the Presidium, though he disappeared off to the Wards, where he did have a small apartment. He would return to the _Normandy_ before I was done, or more than likely anyway.

Anderson had me fill in some forms, which basically turned the _Normandy_ from an Alliance vessel into a Council vessel, though it was designated as being operated by a Spectre. In effect, it was mine alone. I still felt bad for the man, but he waved away my concerns, stating that finding Saren was what mattered in the end.

In regards to trying to find Saren, the Council had fed us information and, basically, no-one had a clue where he was. But I was given a few leads. One was on Therum, where the daughter of Matriarch Benezia, an archaeologist by the name of Liara T’Soni, was apparently working. They suggested tapping her up for information. Other than that, it was suggested I search for information on two planets, Noveria and Feros. I may find leads to Saren on either or both planets.

We shook hands before I left, wishing me luck for the future, and that he would always be available for advice if I needed it. “Not that I think you will, but you never know,” he stated.

On my way back to the _Normandy_, I was stopped by an Alliance Admiral just outside C-Sec Academy. I knew the man well, immediately coming to attention and saluting, before offering my hand. “Admiral Kahoku, it’s been a long time.”

“That it has, Shepard. Word about your elevation to Spectre status has spread like wildfire. Congratulations are in order.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“While I would like to say I’ve tracked you down for a friendly chat, unfortunately I must speak business straight away.” Gesturing to a nearby bench, we sat down before he continued. “I’ve been trying to gain an audience with the Council, but they have not yet granted me one. Not sure they will. So I thought I’d come to you and ask for your help.”

“What with?”

“A group of my men, marines, have gone missing in the Artemis Tau cluster. Their task was to locate and possibly retrieve a ship belonging to a freelance researcher named Armistan Banes. He’s disappeared as well, but to be honest, the most important thing is finding my men. Attempts to contact them have revealed nothing so far.”

“Which planet in Artemis Tau?”

“That I’m not sure of.”

“I have other assignments, but if I find myself heading in that direction, I will see what I can find out, Admiral.”

“That’s all I can ask, Shepard. Thank you.”

Rising to our feet, we shook hands before he headed off towards the Presidium. Heading onto the docks, the _Normandy_ was sitting there, rather silent. I could help lean against the railing and just look at her for a moment. I almost had to pinch myself. Years of hard work had paid off. I was now the Commanding Officer of an Alliance vessel. So far removed from my time on the streets, it simply didn’t seem believable. If you wrote a script for a movie, they’d throw it out as being far too unrealistic.

Boarding my ship, Joker was in position, ready to move us out of dock and towards our first objective. Before doing that, I suggested I give a sort rallying speech to the crew. They would have been informed of the change in leadership. I felt I had to prove worthy of the promotion.

“Sucks about Anderson, Commander,” he stated as I heard the clamps disengage and the docking arm move away, “I’d watch your back. This thing goes tits up, it’s your head on the chopping block.”

“This is still his ship. We’re just… borrowing it for a while.”

“No matter what, we’re behind you all the way, Commander.”

“Thanks, Joker.”

“Don’t let the sarcastic front put you off, Commander. Behind it is a pilot who’ll fly you to hell and back if you want.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, intercom is open if you want to make a short speech. Everyone knows about Anderson but they’re already willing to follow you.”

I cleared my throat, trying to think of what I should say. “This is Commander Shepard speaking. We have our orders; find Saren before he finds the Conduit. I won’t lie to you, crew. This mission isn’t going to be easy. For too long our species has stood apart from the others. Now it’s time for us to step up and do our part for the rest of the galaxy. Time to show them what humans are made of!

Our enemy knows we are coming. When we go into the Traverse, Saren’s followers will be waiting for us. But we’ll be ready for them too. Humanity needs to do this. Not just for our own sake, but for the sake of every other species in Citadel Space. Saren must be stopped, and I promise you all… We will stop him!

Joker, take us out. Our first destination is Therum. I believe we need to find this Doctor T’Soni and see what she can tell us.”


	4. Book 1, Chapter 4 - Doctor T'Soni, I Presume?

Standing by the galaxy map, I realised straight away I could do two birds with one stone. Within the Artemis Tau cluster were four systems. Therum was in the Knossos system. Kahoku hadn’t been able to give me a pinpoint location on where the marines had gone missing, but sending out a few probes in each system should help me pick up something. If the marines had managed to get a distress beacon working, even better. Our ship should pick that up on the scanners.

Getting to the system we needed would require a few relay jumps, and then we’d have to fly through space to reach the system. We’d be looking at a little flight time before we’d hit the ground. The only concern I had regarding that is the system was deep in the Traverse. And despite the brave speech I’d made, I still didn’t want to have to face a roving band of pirates. Thankfully the stealth systems of the_ Normandy_ should keep us cloaked from any scanners.

The extended flight time gave me the opportunity to wander the ship and get to know my crew, as to be honest, I was rather new to the _Normandy_ myself, so we’d barely got to know each other before I assumed commander. The enlisted men and women were immediately respectful, I think for a variety of reasons, one being my war record and, two, the fact I was the first human Spectre.

Speaking to Pressly, he surprised me by voicing his suspicion of the fact I’d hired non-humans as crew, believing the mission to catch Saren should be a human-only endeavour. I listened to what he had to say, believing he had the right to express his opinion, before I retorted, suggesting the fact we accepted the help from what we had one termed ‘alien’ races simply made the Alliance appear more open-minded and tolerant than perhaps other species in the galaxy. Adding to that, the Alliance could and should accept help from anyone who wished to ally with it in the face of such overwhelming danger. It was food for thought.

Ashley was also suspicious, particularly of Garrus. Her suspicion wasn’t a great surprise considering her personal history, and after doing a little research on her, it was rather sad to know she was basically banging her head against a brick wall in regards to promotion. I would do what I could if she proved herself in my team, but it appeared the entire Alliance had a chip on their shoulder regarding the Williams name. I gave her credit simply for joining up, knowing what she was possibly in for.

Kaidan was a rather private individual, not particularly wanting to open up to me yet. He admitted to suffering headaches because he was a biotic, but other than that, he wasn’t ready to open up yet. I’d give him time. Garrus was just relieved to be off the leash, showing absolutely no concern about quitting his job with C-Sec. Wrex just wanted to go and kill things. As for Tali, she was terribly excited, near enough bouncing off the walls, in regards to being allowed onto such an advance spaceship, explaining a few things about the Migrant Fleet, as I knew next to nothing about them.

Entering the correct system, I had everyone head down to the garage by the Mako, where I would explain how things would work. Anyone who had served in the Alliance would know about a Mako air-drop, a ship would fly down close to the ground, unloading the Mako, which would use small thrusters, though relying more on suspension to soften the landing.

“Okay, let me explain a Mako air-drop,” explained Shepard to the group, “LT. Chief. I have no doubt you’ve experienced an air-drop during your service. Correct?” Garrus, Wrex and Tali all nodded, all three keeping their faces inscrutable. “Okay. Wrex, Tali and Garrus. I’ll explain. It is not always possible for the Normandy to land on a planet’s surface. The Normandy is rather heavy, even for a frigate, so it is not always possible to land, and subsequently take off, depending on a variety of factors, two being atmosphere and the gravity field, another being whether docking facilities are available or not. To make infiltration and extraction easier, the Alliance uses a Mako air-drop. It’s quite simple. Joker will come in low over the surface. The Mako, this massive lump of metal beside us, with the team inside, will be dropped out of the hangar bay doors. The Mako will deadfall to the ground, where thrusters will be fired to allow a graceful landing on the surface.”

Wrex just started to rumble with laughter, so I assumed he thought it was fine. Garrus shook his head, muttering something about spirits. Tali wrung her hands, I assume nervously. “Any questions?” Surprisingly, all three shook their heads, so I must have explained it well enough that they knew what they were in for. “Now, usually, a Mako will only handle a driver, me, plus three occupants easily, five with a squeeze, any more than that and it does get rather uncomfortable. Since there are five of you here now, I don’t see the point of keeping any of you back on the ship. The Mako is used for transport and to eliminate those which cannot be taken out on foot. So, you’re all in for now. Grab armour and weapons, Joker will let us know when we’ve located the correct planet and we can be unloaded.”

As I was assembling myself in armour, Joker came over the comm, letting us know that he’d received a signal from a planet named Therum. I immediately pulled up any information about the planet on my omni-tool, and the words that leapt out were ‘Prothean Ruins’, so that explained why she was there.

_“You won’t like this, sir, but the planet is crawling with other signals.”_

“Who?”

_“Think it’s the geth, sir.”_

“Fuck, that’s all we need. Okay, thanks, Joker. We’ll load up in the Mako and wait for your word.”

Should have known those bastards would involve themselves again.

* * *

It was the moment that she always feared, working alone on dig-sites in the ass end of nowhere. She left a trail of footsteps in the soft dirt as she ran, her head down, her heartbeat thumping, breathing heavily, arms pumping, as she tried to put as much distance between herself and what she could only assume were geth. She carried her pistol in her left hand. It was cold for the moment, but had been hot only moments before, as the geth dropship suddenly appeared in the sky and geth units poured out.

Liara T’Soni was concerned. She had no idea why the geth would suddenly appear outside of the Veil, and of all places, on a planet that was primarily worthless, apart from the Prothean ruins that she had been investigating for the previous six months.

_Why would the geth have any interest in Prothean ruins?_

Liara could hear the occasional burst of gun-fire behind her but she knew she was leaving the geth behind as she ran towards what she thought was relative safety. She had also noticed a krogan battle-master working alongside, if not leading, the geth units. She had no idea why a krogan would be working with the geth, or vice-versa. It was a strange turn of events.

Liara turned her head as she ran. She could see the geth behind her, far in the distance. She thought she might just have a chance of out-running them. Escaping, though, was a completely different proposition. Her shuttle was parked up miles away on an abandoned space-port, and running there, in this atmosphere, would be impossible. As far as Liara knew, she had been alone on the planet. Liara was used to working alone. There were not many asari archaeologists of her age. Most asari her age were far too busy living the high life to traipse across the galaxy, rather than Liara, who enjoyed digging in the dirt, looking for information regarding a race that had disappeared 50,000 years ago.

She could almost grin to herself as the entrance to the mine-shaft appeared over the horizon.

_Just another minute…_

Up the ramp Liara ran, looking to her side to see the geth in the distance, the krogan lumbering behind them, shouting orders. The doors to the mine-shaft opened, Liara running as quickly as she could. The cavern she ran into was a treasure-trove of Prothean artefacts. She had been trying to piece together information on why the Protheans had just suddenly disappeared. What she had managed to find, so far, had been disturbing.

Two long elevator journeys to the bottom of the cavern had Liara fretting, as she was sure that the geth would be approaching, if not already in the mine-shaft itself. But, for now at least, Liara still had time. She ran into the large Prothean ruin that the miners had excavated in the previous year and started keying the terminal she had been using. She couldn’t read the language, but had worked out, through trial and error, what most of the commands did.

The sounds of metal on metal, as the geth ran along the walkway high above her position, caused Liara to pause for just a moment. She knew she was now trapped, but there was an ace up her sleeve. She keyed the buttons on the console and pressed the command she knew meant ‘Execute’. She looked to her right as the barrier started up and soon a see-through, near-invisible wall separated herself from her pursuers.

_What do I do next though?_

Liara just stood there and waited, her breath calming as her safety was assured for now. It would be a waiting game. She watched as the krogan exited the elevator and trudged towards her position, laughing to himself as he approached the barrier.

“Looks like you’re stuck in there, Miss T’Soni.”

“That may be so, but I’m still in here, while you’re stuck out there. Why don’t you see if you can get in? I find that highly unlikely,” replied Liara, a slight smirk on her face.

“Stop with the games, Miss T’Soni. If you just co-operate with us, I promise you will be unharmed.”

Liara chuckled, shaking her head. “And I’m to take the word of a krogan who has allied himself with geth?”

The krogan shrugged. “My boss thinks geth allies will prove to be an invaluable asset in the events to come. Your help is desired, and would be appreciated, at the same time.”

“Just who is your boss?”

“I can’t say. But he has seen things which have convinced the geth that their co-operation, with some organics at least, will be beneficial to their continued existence.”

“If you wanted me alive, why were you shooting at me in the first place?”

“I guess the geth were slightly over-zealous in their approach. Now, if you’ve asked enough questions, Miss T’Soni, bring down this barrier and stop wasting my time!”

“The only way I’m coming with you is if you’re dragging my dead body behind you.”

The krogan stepped right up to the barrier. “That can be arranged,” he growled.

Liara stepped up to the barrier herself, looking up as the krogan towered above her. “Good luck,” she said, before turning her back. She heard the krogan roar in anger, before turning around and walking off in a huff, issuing orders to the geth to look for a way to bring down the barrier. Liara sat down on the floor, only one thought now in her mind.

_I wonder how long it will be until someone else comes to this planet?_

* * *

The geth were ready and waiting for us this time. As soon as we landed the Mako, I put my foot down as everyone else within the Mako got to work. Garrus was handling the gun, wasn’t a particularly powerful cannon but it would do the job required. Tali was an engineer, so would look after shields and would hopefully keep the Mako running. Alenko would assist her. Ashley and Wrex were pretty much just along for the ride until we had to head out on foot.

“Garrus, do you need me to report targets? I’ve got a targeting system here.”

“No, Shepard,” the turian replied, “Targeting system here is perfect.”

“Good. Tali, report when shields are below 50%. I get readouts here but, if I’m distracted, I’d like to know. Other than that, just make sure this keeps moving.”

“Aye, Shepard.”

“Ash and Wrex, just hold on. This could get tasty.”

The M35 Mako was already a veteran of service having replaced the obsolete M29 Grizzly. With a 155mm cannon and coaxial-mounted machine gun, it had formidable firepower for what was effectively an APC. With thick amour in addition to shields, the Mako also came equipped with laser detection arrays and ground-penetrating radar. The tri-axle design, with tyres instead of tracks, allowed the driver to take the Mako nearly anywhere. I’d previously driven the Mako up inclines that seemed crazy until I crested the top. Basically, despite it appearing unwieldy, in the right hands, a Mako was invaluable.

The presence of geth was highlighted by the fact a geth dropship flew over our heads as we headed in what I hoped was the right direction. I figured it was only dropping soldiers, hearing Garrus start firing once we were in range, but I brought the Mako to a halt when I saw things I hadn’t seen before.

“Tali, I’ve already seen various geth soldiers. Don’t really care about all their names. But what the fuck is that?”

She took a moment to look through the scope before replying. “I’ve only heard of these, Shepard. We call them Armatures.”

“Know much about them?”

“No. I’ve only heard of them. We know there are two types similar; Armatures and one that goes by the name of Colossus. You can only imagine how big that would be.”

“Right, could be tricky. Garrus, get that cannon ready. No doubt it’ll be shielded, so it’s going to take some work. Tali, what sort of weapons do you reckon it has?”

“No idea, Shepard. But knowing the geth, perhaps a pulse weapon?”

“Great,” I muttered.

I’d had plenty of experience with the Mako, either driving or at the turret. I’d always preferred driving though, as I did like the semblance of control it gave me over the operation. Garrus soon has the machine gun firing in small bursts, announcing when he’d taken out a geth soldier. When we were within range of an Armature, I would hear cannon fire above my head. Though the Mako was insulated, it was still incredibly loud with the cannon and machine gun fire, plus the roar of the engine. That’s why we were all still wearing helmets inside the Maki, simply as it protected our ears. Well, all of us except Wrex. We didn’t have a helmet big enough, and we could hear his laughter over the roar of everything else. The krogan was enjoying himself.

Garrus certainly proved to be accurate, the geth soldiers falling quickly, while he handled the first couple of Armatures with relative ease. I didn’t race ahead as I was sure there would be at least one or two ambushes, Tali explaining that, with more numbers, the geth were more intelligent. It’s how they’d won the war against her people.

Eventually reaching some sort of industrial outpost, the geth had obviously been there long enough to build turrets. And those could get a lock on us, Garrus asking me to simply keep the Mako moving so he could get a lock on them. With geth also opening up on us, we were in a bind.

“Let me out, Shepard. I’ll help out on foot,” Wrex stated, “The human woman can help too.”

“My name is Ashley.”

The krogan laughed. “I know, but let’s see how your squishy form handles geth.”

I brought the Mako to an immediate halt, glancing back to see Wrex open the back door and head out, Ashley checking her rifle before she headed out too. “Me too, Commander?” Alenko asked.

“Tali?”

“I’ll be fine, Shepard.”

“Support them, Alenko. Focus on that tech skill you have.”

“Aye, Commander.”

Hearing the door slam shut and a slap on the roof, I moved the Mako immediately, checking radar and making sure I didn’t run over my colleagues. I had no real idea what they were doing, but opened the comm line so those of us left in the Mako had a general idea.

Garrus eventually eliminated the three turrets while I’m sure those on the ground helped out with the soldiers. No Armatures this time, but I was confident more lay ahead. There was a small fort like building ahead, Garrus sending a couple of cannon shots into it before Wrex, Ashley and Alenko headed into the facility. They were not in there long, Ashley signalling that I should move and they’d remain on foot.

“I’ll keep the pace gentle. Run into trouble, take cover behind us,” I ordered.

“_Aye, sir. But it’s better out here than in there,”_ Ashley retorted.

“_It’s not so bad. More of a dry heat,”_ Alenko added with humour

We eventually reached a gatehouse, the three outside heading up to take out a few geth that were on patrol. Once the barrier lowered, an Armature appeared, Garrus proving quicker to the driver, the cannon causing the geth machine to explode into bits. Waiting for the other three to signal they were ready, I pushed us forward, following the lone path ahead, amazed at the lava pools around us. The planet seemed to be completely uninhabitable, amazed they were even mining, left wondering if there were volcanoes that were ready to explode.

Something ahead caused me to slam on the brakes and turn to my quarian colleague. “Tali, is that a Colossus?”

“It is, Shepard.”

“Fucking hell, it’s enormous. Surely even our cannon will have to send in a few shots to take it down…”

“Get me close and I’ll take its legs.”

“Hmmm. That could work. Ashley, Kaidan, ever seen Star Wars?”

_“No, what’s that?”_ Ash wondered.

“_I’ve heard of the name. What’s the idea, Commander?”_

“This thing comes with one of those hooks right? What we do is get in close, fire the hook, then wrap wire around the legs so it collapses, then we blow it up.”

I heard laughter over the comm from Wrex. “_You know what, Shepard? That might just be mad enough to work!”_

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Wrex. Ash, the hook should be in one of the compartments to the left side. See if you can find it. Garrus, once we’re close enough, fire, as I’ll be going in fast.”

“I’ll know when to fire, Shepard.”

I got the revs nice and high before I slammed my foot down, heading straight for the Mako. I’m heard Tali mutter something to herself as the Colossus soon towered over us. Hearing the cannon fire, Garrus immediately reported connection, and I was soon sliding the Mako around the legs of the Colossus. Once I’d gone around four or five times, Garrus cut the cord and I drove us away, spinning the Mako around so we could watch what happened.

The Colossus tried to keep moving, but with its legs held by the wire, it couldn’t move, and it soon tripped over and fell. It didn’t explode immediately, Garrus firing the cannon until the Colossus exploded. I heard laughter over the radio from those outside before I figured getting out of there would be a good idea, assuming the geth would investigate the explosion.

Heading through a tunnel was a pain in the arse, as the geth were lying in wait for us, a couple of turrets and Armatures definitely proving troublesome, while geth with rocket launches nearly killed my colleagues outside. I did ask if they wanted to come back in, but Wrex suggested he would feel safer outside rather than inside the Mako. I think he was trying to insinuate my driving wasn’t great.

We continued to kill geth as we moved ahead. Occasionally I’d even run one or two over, and I did manage to send one Armature into one of the lava pools after running over it. Garrus was a natural with the cannon and machine gun, so I already knew that would be his job going forward. As for Tali, she was a genius with the shields, keeping them at a high percentage but ensuring it never effected the power output of the Mako.

I was hoping we could keep using the Mako until the very end, but we eventually reached a barrier I simply couldn’t drive the Mako through. Far too narrow. “_End of the line, Shepard,”_ Alenko stated.

“Aye. Give us a moment. Garrus, Tali, we’ll need to go the rest of the way on foot.”

Clambering out of the Mako, I should have known we’d be fucked straight away. Not only were there loads of geth waiting, but there were two Armatures and a Colossus. I started issuing orders immediately. Anyone capable of tech would take out shields. Once shields were down, biotics would drag geth towards us, leaving them as easy pickings for Ashley and I.

Focusing on the foot soldiers first, we had to move fast as the Armatures and Colossus definitely knew we were around. More than once, one of us had to leap out of a way, a fired pulse shot landing far too close for comfort once or twice. But we managed to take out the foot soldiers quite quickly. I had grenades, so yelled out what I planned, running straight towards one of the Armatures, sticking grenades to three of its legs, before sprinting off the side for cover, sliding behind a barrier just as the grenades exploded, hearing the Armature collapse and explode seconds later.

Moving back towards the rest, they’d forward a line and were mixing up all sorts of attacks, biotic, tech and gunfire. The second Armature slowly but surely wilted under the attacks, and once that was down, it was the Colossus.

It took ages. Two of my colleagues focused on its shields while the third made sure it could fire its main weapon. Ashley, Wrex and I kept firing, and once its shields disappeared, we started to breach its armour and small fires soon appeared. I thought taking out its head would help, so all of us focused fire on that, and once that exploded, the Colossus simply collapsed to the side and blew up. By now, we were all feeling the strain but we still had to find Doctor T’Soni.

Heading into the ruin, I was left thinking it had been a mine before they found Prothean ruins. “I could be misinterpreting, Shepard, but I think the geth are here for other reasons than just stopping us,” Wrex stated.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, they’re here in force, to locate an archaeologist? I don’t think they were here because they just happened to assume we’d be coming this way.”

I came to a halt as it was a bloody good point. “So… They’re here to what, take her?”

“Or kill her. She might be the daughter of Benezia but who is to say what their relationship is?”

“Guess we should talk to her then. That was the plan to begin with.”

It was definitely an old mine, operations likely coming to an end once they found the ruins. And even more geth were down there waiting for us. With six of us, I’ll try not to sound too arrogant when I say we handled them with relative ease. With all the tech and firepower on display, we caused havoc in their ranks, disabling shields, overheating weapons, and I’m fairly sure Tali managed to make a couple simply blow up. Ashley was certainly getting things out of her system, near enough taking the lead at times. I didn’t mind too much as long as she was sensible.

After taking out a few geth drones, we approached a barrier and had to divert. We had to clamber down collapsed walkways, assuming they’d collapsed long before the arrival of the geth. There was a coating of rust on a lot of the equipment around us, left thinking it had been abandoned for quite a while. We eventually approached another barrier and it was there that we could see an asari.

“Can you hear me out there? I’m trapped in here and I need help!”

“Doctor T’Soni, I presume?”

“Yes, that’s me. Listen, I’m willing to do introductions, but I’d rather do it after I’m released from this thing. This is a Prothean security device. I can’t move so I’ll need you or one of your friends to get me out of it.”

“Might as well release her then raise questions after, Commander,” Garrus stated.

“Agreed. Miss T’Soni, we’ll see if we can find some sort of release to get you out of there. Then you’ll need to answer one or two questions for us.”

“Of course. There should be some sort of control out there, but be careful. There is a krogan that appears to be in charge of the geth. Geth, outside the Veil! What is going on out there?”

It was a good question. Wrex was excited at the news of another krogan, mentioning that he wouldn’t mind going to battle if he was a fellow master. We had to arm ourselves again as the geth were still looking to get behind the barrier, handling them quite quickly with a series of tech attacks and plenty of bullets. No sign of the krogan yet, Wrex muttering his disappointment.

We eventually had to override an old mining laser to create a hole in the ground. Thankfully it didn’t attract the attention of any geth, and we managed to slide down the hole and ended up below where the asari was trapped. Finding an elevator, it took us up a level or two where we could see the asari trapped in some sort of field.

She sensed us coming, her voice a mixture of fear and tiredness. Finding the button to release her, she fell to the ground, stepping forward to help her up. She looked up into my eyes and, I’ll admit, I thought she was rather cute straight away. She took a step back to look over us and I saw the concern cross her face. No doubt she would have figured out we were not exactly there to rescue her, so no doubt wondered what we did want.

“Why are you here?” she wondered.

“We were looking for you, Miss T’Soni.”

“Please, considering you are my rescuers, call me Liara.”

“I’m Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy. These are my colleagues. We might make introductions later. What I can tell you, Liara, is that there’s a lot of shit going on and we were hoping you might some answers or information.”

“We should really get out of here.”

“True, but I’m not taking you anywhere until I know where your allegiance lies. Your mother is involved with a Spectre by the name of Saren. He is now persona non grata, and your mother was involved in an attack on Eden Prime. Saren has also allied with the geth, which might be a reason why they are here now, looking for you.”

“I haven’t spoken to my mother in decades and certainly have no idea what she is up to.”

“Pretty convenient,” Ashley stated.

“While it might seem so, it is the truth,” Liara retorted, “I want to know why the geth have come after me? Has Benezia really sent geth to kill her own daughter?”

“No, I don’t think she wants you dead. But Saren is looking for something, and considering what you are researching, you would no doubt be forced to help him.”

Before we could continue the conversation, the area we were standing was struck by a small earthquake, Liara calling it a ‘seismic event’, suggesting the laser we had used to rescue you had destabilised the ruins. Suggesting we should get out of here, everyone readily agreed. Using the same elevator, Liara got it working so we ascended all the way to the top.

Any thoughts we were going to get out safely ended when we stepped off the elevator, the barrier ahead having now disappeared as an enormous krogan walked through, flanked by at least half a dozen geth. I heard weapons being readied behind me though I kept cool, wondering if I might negotiate a way out. The krogan looked across the team before looking at me, I guess figuring I was in charge.

“Surrender. Or don’t. The latter will certainly be more fun.”

“This place is coming apart and you now want a fight? What are you doing?”

“Hand over the asari.”

I couldn’t help sigh. “Wrex?”

“Aye?”

“Want to kill this bastard?”

“Gladly.”

“The rest of you, kill the geth.”

I fired at one of the geth straight away, the impact of a shot impacting my shields as I got into cover behind the console. Glancing around, I saw plenty of tech attacks causing havoc with the geth shields, so immediately opened up, Ashley and I taking out two at the same time. I heard Tali near enough swearing to herself as she handled another geth, Garrus and Alenko appearing to fire at the rest. I took down one more before I swung my attention to the two krogan.

I was surprised they were fighting with knives and not guns. Yelling, “Why not just shoot the bastard?” Wrex simply replied that this would be the more honourable way of kill a fellow battle-master. Considering their size, the pair were rather graceful in their movements. Both ended up with numerous wounds.

“I can take the shot!” Ashley yelled.

“No! This one is mine,” Wrex growled in return.

Ashley, Garrus and I were all in position, ready to fire, checking no more geth approached. The mine was now really starting to shake, so I ordered Wrex to hurry up and kill him, otherwise we would assist. That forced his hand, proof Wrex had been toying with his opponent. His hand movements were deft, his opponent definitely surprised when Wrex buried the knife in his chest.

There was no time to waste as the seven of us made haste towards the ramps that would take us back towards the entrance. With every passing second, the shaking seemed to get worse. I heard everything collapsing behind us, one or two explosions at the same time. Dust was starting to blind us, yelling at everyone to just keep moving. Making it to the actual mine shaft, I was right on Liara’s footsteps, noticing her glance behind, eyes wide with fear. “Keep moving! Don’t stop!”

Most of us ended up jumping and rolling down the ramp outside, ending up in a pile at the bottom. I got to my feet first, helping up everyone else, noticing the _Normandy_ is position nearby.

“Better not be like this all the bloody time,” Garrus muttered.

“Come on, Garrus. That was fun!” Wrex added.

After we managed to collect the Mako, we climbed aboard the _Normandy_ and took off. We had some more questions for Liara and I assumed the Council would want a quick report of our progress.

* * *

Alenko and Ashley remained suspicious of Liara once we gathered for a meeting to breakdown what we’d discovered. Garrus was also a little suspicious, while Wrex didn’t really seem to care, and Tali was probably a little nervous to raise objections if she had any. As for Liara, she immediately admitted to having little contact with humans, but was thankful we’d arrived in time to save her from the geth, shuddering at the thought of what would have happened otherwise.

“What do you know about the Conduit?” I wondered, having mentioned it before but never getting a response.

“Only that it was somehow linked to the Prothean extinction. That is my real area of expertise. I have spent the past fifty years trying to figure out what happened to them,” Liara replied.

“Fifty years! God, I hope I look that good at whatever age you are,” Ashley exclaimed.

“How old are you?” I wondered. Everyone knew asari lived long lives.

“I hate to admit that I’m only one hundred and six, Commander.”

“Shit, I hope I look that good at your age!” Ashley stated, Alenko voicing his agreement.

“I know you live long lives…” I started to say.

Liara nodded before continuing. “A century may seem like a long time to short-lived species such as yourselves, or turian and quarian. Your krogan friend here knows something about a long life span.”

Wrex grunted. “It’s not all sunshine and roses, asari.”

Liara looked at him wide-eyed for a moment. “Anyway, my youth is the reason my research has not received the attention it deserves. Because of my youth, elder asari scholars tend to dismiss my theories on what happened to the Protheans.”

“I have a theory,” I stated.

I think Liara wanted to scoff, or at least snort. She managed to hold it back. “With all due respect, Commander…”

“Whenever someone says that, they really mean kiss my arse,” I retorted. Liara blushed, but I gestured for her to continue. “Look, I know I’m just a soldier. You’re a scholar. Tell me what you know.”

Liara cleared her throat. “As I was about to say, I have heard every theory possible. The problem is finding evidence to support said theory. The Protheans left remarkably little behind. It is almost as if someone did not want the mystery solved. It’s like someone came along after the Protheans were gone and cleansed the galaxy for clues.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “But here is the incredible part. According to my findings, the Protheans were not the first galactic civilisation to mysteriously vanish. This cycle began long before them.”

Liara continued, speaking about things like cycles, civilisations rising then being violently wiped out. There was barely to no evidence regarding such a theory, but considering what happened to the Protheans, it was as possible as any other theory anyone would have read. What she did know is that the Protheans rose up from a single planet to dominate the galaxy, rather different to that which we lived in, where numerous species lived somewhat harmoniously. Except the batarians…

But when she was done, that’s when I decided to drop the bombshell. “I can answer who is responsible, Liara. The Protheans, and possibly all those who came before, were wiped out by a race of sentient machines called the Reapers.”

Liara couldn’t quite believe it, immediately questioning my theory, until I told her about my contact with the Prothean beacon on Eden Prime. That gained her interested immediately as she knew all about beacons, and she immediately understood that the visions I’d received would make me confused, the visions unclear, as the beacons were made for Prothean physiology, not human. “I am amazed you were able to make sense of it at all. A lesser mind would have been utterly destroyed by the process. You must be remarkably strong-willed, Commander.”

Even I heard the tone. I wasn’t deaf nor dumb. Ashley decided hostility would work. “None of this is helping us find Conduit or Saren.”

Liara simply smiled. “Of course, I apologise. Call it simply scientific curiosity. And, unfortunately, I cannot provide any information regarding the Conduit at this time. As for Saren, I don’t even know the man and certainly don’t know where he is.”

There was no point continuing the meeting so I dismissed everyone, Liara heading off to see Doctor Chakwas, everyone else except Ashley heading off, only because I grabbed her forearm before heading out. She was a little surprise but she sat back down, taking the seat next to her.

“Something on your mind, Commander?”

“Just want to make sure you’re okay, Ash. And in moments like this, I’m Shepard.”

“Okay? What do you mean?”

“You experienced some rough shit on Eden Prime, Ash. And you were throwing yourself into the fight on Therum almost without care. I don’t want you throwing your life away, Ash.”

She met my eyes only for a moment before looking away. “I’m fine, sir.”

“Shepard.”

“I’m a soldier, Shepard. I’m used to seeing people die.”

“What happened on Eden Prime isn’t that simple. I’ve seen the mission reports.”

Now she looked back at me. “I’m not going to sit here and break down in tears, sir. I’m not like that.”

I couldn’t help smile. “And I’m not expecting that, Ash. I just want…” I paused. “You obviously know my record, correct?” She nodded. “I must have spent at least a year speaking with a psychologist after that. No matter where I was, I went to see someone once a week to get things off my chest.”

“Did it work?”

“Mostly, yes. Most people don’t know, Ash, but I will share with you so you can understand the loss I suffered. I was on Elysium with a woman by the name of Annie Stewart. We’d met a few months before when I was on Terra Nova, and we began dating. Elysium was the first time we’d been away together alone, as every other time, we were generally in groups.”

“Sir…”

I held up a hand. “We’d only been there a day or two at most before they arrived. I’d booked us a beachfront apartment, looking forward to a week of sun, sea and sex.” I noticed her blush slightly. “The morning it happened, I told her I loved her, Ash. The first time I said those three word to anyone.”

“Shepard…”

“I didn’t know she was dead until it was all over. I’d fought off a fuckload of batarians and whoever else. I was shot three times. Probably should have bled out but someone was looking out for me that day. Once I woke up in the field hospital, I immediately got up and hobbled towards the apartment block. There was nothing left, Ash. It was a ruin. I tried calling her on my omni-tool. I sent her message after message. I never received a response. I stayed until they found her body.” She reached across to grab my hand, giving it a squeeze. “Trust me on this one, Chief Williams. You will want to speak to someone about the losses. You will want to get everything off your chest. You carry that shit around in your heart, in your soul, it will destroy you. So I spoke with someone. I got angry. I cried. I wanted to put a pistol to my head and pull the trigger… But once you speak about it, once you clear your conscience, your gut, your soul, your heart, you will slowly start to feel better. Perhaps not like you were before the loss, but close enough.” All she did was nod, and I squeezed her hand in return. “I’m merely looking out for your welfare, soldier. You don’t want those dark thoughts in your head. Clear them away then focus on the next mission.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“No worries. That’s what I’m here for.”

We rose to our feet and made to head out. Just before we exited, she turned to hug me. It was a surprise to start, but I embraced her in return. “Thank you for giving a shit, Shepard.”

“Not sure who you’ve served under before, Ash, but I give you my word I will do everything I can to ensure we all come out of this alive.”

She leaned back, and I noticed her eyes glisten. “I’m going to hold you to that one.” I couldn’t help chuckle as she stood back, came to attention and saluted. “Commander.”

Returning the salute, she turned and disappeared, as I headed back to the galaxy map. It had been a long day so I suggested to Joker that we simply get out of the current system and we’d investigate the issue raised by Admiral Kahoku the next day.

Heading to my personal cabin, I had a shower, washing plenty of dust down the drain, enjoying the hot water, before I settled in the chair of my desk, writing a mission report to send to the Council, and also the Alliance. I might be a Council Spectre, but I was still human, and still technically part of the Alliance, so I’d keep them in the loop of whatever I was doing. I’m sure they’d appreciate the thought.

I ended up having a chat with Alenko in the mess, and over a beer or two, as considering this was now not an Alliance vessel, I’d made sure we’d stock up on certain things, he finally opened up. He’d been a student at BAaT, otherwise known as Biotic Acclimation and Temperance. To say he was still pissed about it all would be an understatement. He didn’t go into any great detail about his experience there but there was enough to suggest it was a wound still healing. In fact, despite the calm exterior, I had a feeling the experience had left him rather bitter. Going into some of the detail, it was no real surprise when thinking about it. I didn’t feel sorry nor pity him, he wouldn’t have wanted that, and there’s no doubt he came out stronger for it. But I could understand him being pissed off, and not wanting to speak about it too often.

He eventually headed off to a sleeping pod. I finished my beer as other crew members passed by, heading off to sleep themselves. Once I finished my beer, I headed back to my own quarters, going over the events of the day. All in all, it had been a success. We’d found Liara and found she was an ally, not an enemy. We learned a bit more about the Protheans, as none of us knew much about them before. Now we had two other worlds to visit and see what we could find.

First, though, was trying to find the lost patrol for Admiral Kahoku.


	5. Book 1,  Chapter 5 - The Reporter

I should have known it would be a trap. After Therum, we explored the other three systems, looking for an emergency signal or beacon that might relate to the missing marines. We eventually found something in the Sparta System, and after sending out some probes, eventually landed on the planet of Edolus.

Heading towards the signal in the Mako, I stamped on the brakes as we could oversee an enormous expanse of flat ground. In the middle, in the distance, I could see the burned remains of an Alliance vehicle. I wasn’t the only one to assume something was terribly wrong.

“What should we do, Commander?” Garrus asked.

“Keep that gun nice and ready, Garrus. Tali, make sure those shields stay up.”

“What’s on your mind?” Tali asked.

“No idea, but whatever did it isn’t good.”

It was a thresher maw. Never seen one myself. Nearly shit myself when it appeared in front of us. Wrex was very excited about it appearing, immediately opening the door and disappearing. I simply yelled at Ashley to close the door. “What about Wrex?” Alenko asked.

“I’ll talk to him later. For now, Garrus, light that fucker up!”

The thresher maw spat pure acid. I only learned that when it spat right at us and I didn’t move fast enough. Our shields must have dropped at least fifty percent at once, so I refused to stay still after that. Garrus assured me he could get a lock on the monster as long as we slowed down a little. I had Alenko and Ashley check to see where Wrex was, hearing both of them report that he was unloading his shotgun, the thresher maw focused on us instead of him.

“Well, he’s a slight distraction at least,” I muttered.

I’ll say right now; thresher maws can suck my fat one. They take far too many bullets and rockets to kill. However, although it seemed to take forever, we did finally kill the monster, the Mako erupting in cheers as the giant worm collapsed to the ground. Garrus sent a couple more rockets into it, just in case. I then drove us to the wreckage, all of us clambering out, Wrex jogging up to join us.

“You’re crazy!” Tali exclaimed.

“All good fun, my little friend!”

Gathering around the burned out remains, there were a few bodies around, though to call them bodies would be incorrect. Barely skeletons, parts of uniforms and weapons, it appeared the thresher maw had caught them completely by surprise. But it was what we found nearby that sent a chill down our spines.

“Commander,” Alenko said, looking back at me as he crouched by the transmitter, “This isn’t Alliance tech.”

“So…?”

“These marines were lured here, sir. Someone placed this transmitter here, knowing these marines would respond to the signal, and as soon as they landed, the thresher maw would have caught them completely by surprise.”

“Any idea who?”

“We can run diagnostics on the transmitter, but I’m not sure, sir.”

I couldn’t help sigh as it was such a waste of life. I called in the _Normandy_, the ship picked us up, and I immediately made a call to Admiral Kahoku, letting him know we’d found. His answers were short, no doubt pissed off with what we’d discovered, and I didn’t blame him, though he assured me he would be in contact later. I told him to call me as soon as he had a lead. I think he appreciated that. I would help him regardless, being a fellow veteran of the Skyllian Blitz. It’s why I had offered to help him originally.

Having spent at least a couple of weeks away, I ordered us back to the Citadel. While we could have been on the go for week after week, month after month, that would only wear out the crew and myself. Everyone needed a break to recharge the batteries, so I figured a return to the Citadel for at least a day or two would help everyone. We still had Noveria and Feros to investigate, I just had to decide which one we would tackle first.

It did take a couple of days to return to the Citadel, so by the time we’d returned, everyone was desperate to get off the ship. The _Normandy_ was a frigate, a new build, so far more comfortable than certain other ships, but after a few weeks cooped up inside, it was little wonder nearly everyone wanted to get off to stretch their legs for a couple of days.

I was still busy at work as everyone headed out, Alenko and Garrus popping their heads through my door, stating they’d be heading to the Wards. I said I’d meet them later, finishing the report I’d send off to the Alliance, before I headed out alone. After spending my entire time around the crew, this was time I could appreciate by myself.

Heading away from the Presidium, I ended up in the Upper Wards, wandering around simply taking in the view, enjoying the atmosphere, which was so different to the rather sterile Presidium. It was while I was walking towards a nightclub called ‘Flux’, only because Alenko had told me everyone was there, that I ran into a reporter.

“Commander Shepard?”

I found myself walking towards an Asian woman, though given the world and the galaxy today, she might not have been. “Yes?”

“I’m Emily Wong. I’m an investigative journalist.”

“Okay, and what do you want from me?”

“I believe you’ve dealt with the criminal known as Fist.” I nodded. “Did you happen to pick up his OSD?”

“Um, no actually. We simply took care of him as he had information for us…”

“Then you killed him?”

“Oh, I didn’t. But a bounty hunter who works for me did.”

“Do you know where the OSD is?”

“No, but I can find out.”

“If you can find that for me, Commander, I would appreciate it.”

“I don’t work for free.”

“I can pay you.” I couldn’t help smirk, and she must have known as she started to blush. “Commander…”

“Please, Ms. Wong, my name is Shepard…”

“Emily.”

“Okay, Emily. I’m not that uncouth. However, I don’t need credits, so how about we meet up for a drink after I hand over the OSD?”

That made her grin. “A drink I can do, Commander.”

“Where should I meet you with the OSD?”

She keyed her omni-tool, a message pining on mine the next second. “This is a coffee place that I usually frequent. Once you have the OSD, meet me there once you’ve let me know you have it.”

There was no point heading to Chora’s Den as that had been cleaned up since I lasted visited. So I headed straight for the Executor’s office. I didn’t know the man well, but Garrus had told me about him during the past couple of weeks. Heading to the Presidium, I ended up at C-Sec Academy and eventually found his office. He was definitely surprised to see me walk through the door.

“What can I do for you, Commander?”

“Did you find an OSD on Fist, or somewhere in his office?”

The turian simply sighed. “That’s evidence, Commander, but I already know…”

I held up a hand. “I don’t want to make your life any harder than it is, Executor. I’m not going to go throwing my weight around as a Spectre as I know that’ll just piss everyone off. All I need is the information on it. I’m smart enough to at least copy what I need.”

He met my eyes, judging my sincerity. “This to do with former Spectre Saren?”

“Indubitably.”

He sighed again. “Fine, I can’t deny a Council Spectre, and I really don’t want Sparatus in my ear about being uncooperative.”

“I appreciate it.”

I’m sure he smirked, though a turian smirk was different. “I’m sure you do, Commander. I don’t have the OSD here. We’ve already dealt with the body. All his things are currently in lock-up a couple of levels below us. Head down there. Your Spectre authorisation will make anyone co-operate.”

Thanking him, I immediately headed out and downstairs, finding the lone turian who looked after the evidence lock-up. Once I let him know who I was, he was very friendly and helpful. He handed over the OSD I needed, and all I did was copy what I needed from it before handing it back. He seemed surprised that I did, I assumed figuring I would simply walk off with it.

Sending Emily a message, I grabbed a taxi and found myself heading towards Zakera Ward, eventually arriving only a short walk from the mentioned coffee shop. She had already arrived and waved me down, joining her at the table outside, an asari waitress quickly appearing to take my order.

“Do you have it?” she asked quietly once the asari took our orders. I handed over the copied OSD with a word. She downloaded the information instantly and started to look through it. “Holy shit, Shepard!”

“What?”

“Fist was neck deep in… I can’t believe it…”

“Well, I know he was working for the Shadow Broker at the very least.”

“Yes, he was. Though it’s clear that he turned his back on him. No warning from the Shadow Broker themselves, but it’s clear Fist knew that he had to prepare for a response.”

“Anything about Saren?”

She shook her head. “Nothing by name but there’s enough here to suggest something. His OSD will prove to be a treasure trove.” She finally looked, looked at me and smiled. “Thank you, Shepard.”

Our drinks arrived and work took a back seat, at least for a little while. She knew nearly everything about me, so I asked about her, and I think I surprised her by showing an interest. She was born on Earth, did well in school, had always wanted to be a journalist, joined the Alliance News Network, and now worked as an independent reporter on the Citadel.

We’d talked for so long that, after a couple of drinks, the light was fading. So I asked, “Want to go for another drink elsewhere?”

The smile returned was shy. In fact, I think she even blushed. “What? Really?”

I looked around. “Well, I don’t think I asked anyone else, Emily.”

“Where?”

“Somewhere with alcohol.”

“I know the perfect place!”

We actually ended up in Flux, where I was meant to meet everyone before. I did see Alenko and some others in there, but once they saw me enter with Emily, they left me alone. I ordered us a drink each before we found a booth in a corner. Despite the loud music, we could lean into each other and still chat, Emily taking a chance to ask me a few questions. I was honest in my responses. I didn’t go into detail about Annie, knowing she would always be part of my history, but once she realised I was single, something in her eyes changed.

Once I realised she was perhaps interested, I took a chance to lean down and kiss her. She responded immediately, feeling her move into my body as I wrapped an arm around her. Once the kiss deepened, tongues introduced, I definitely smiled when she whimpered from a simple kiss. Eventually having to break it, she reached up to caress my cheek. “Okay, been a long time since someone kissed me like that,” she said quietly.

“I’m going to take a chance, but want to get out of here?”

“God yes, Shepard.”

I stood up, grabbed her hand, and we casually walked out. A few of the _Normandy_ crew was still in the same club, but they didn’t even notice us leave, or if they did, they ignored it. Emily led me towards the nearest taxi rank, and somehow we managed to behave in the backseat as her apartment complex came into view. Once landed, she led me by the hand towards the complex, walking in past the concierge before boarding the elevator. Only in there did she leap on me again, her mouth eager for mine and I soon had her pressed against the side, feeling her leap up so she could wrap her legs around me, one of my hands going to her arse, giving it a squeeze.

Once the elevator dinged, I simply carried her out towards her apartment, and once inside, there was no suggestion of anything except heading towards her bedroom, giving me directions so I knew where I was going. Sitting her down on the bed, clothing was rather quickly removed, and once my cock was revealed, I heard the gasp and she smiled up at me. “Well, consider me impressed, Shepard,” she whispered, her hand immediately starting to stroke me.

“Yeah, if you think I’m just going to stand here and get blown, you’re going to be disappointed.”

She looked up at me with such a smile, and also surprise, I couldn’t help chuckle. Picking her up again, she wrapped her legs around me as I crawled on my knees down the bed before I flipped onto my back, Emily now above me. She broke the kiss and looked down at me. “So…”

“Oh, I think you should flip around right about now, Emily.” She all of sudden turned very shy, placing a finger under her chin, so she met my eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts? If you are, that’s fine. I can…”

“No, not that… It’s just… You’re him…”

“Who?”

“Commander Shepard. Elysium. Eden Prime. The first human Spectre.”

I leaned up to kiss her. “And I’m here right now with you, Emily, so that’s all that matters.” I paused before adding, “And during the next however long it lasts, my name is John. Or Shepard. So spin that fine body of yours around, as I want something in my face.”

That made her giggle, but she did what I asked, her legs to either side of my head as she lowered her pussy. No surprise she was already wet. A surprise she was completely shaved. Didn’t see that too often nowadays. Touching her with my tongue, she nearly jumped off my body as she was starting to pleasure me with her mouth.

“God, Shepard, you truly are blessed.”

“I’ve had compliments before.”

“Compliments? Once we’re done here, I’m definitely going to want this inside me”

I couldn’t help chuckle before wrapping hands around her thighs and dragging her pussy to my mouth. By all that is holy, she tasted divine. And I used all the expertise I’d learned to get her off. I ran my tongue along her lips, noticing they were engorged and no doubt sensitive, before running my tongue along her entrance, dipping my tongue and causing her to moan even louder despite the fact my cock filled her mouth.

I took a chance to even tickle her arsehole at the same time. That just made her giggle before I moved back down. I wasn’t going to suggest something like that the first time, simply enjoying her taste and I loved eating pussy anyway. While I did that, I couldn’t ignore what she did to me. Her tongue rang along my shaft for a few minutes before I felt her lips wrap around my cock, and she slowly but surely took my length. Whether she took my entire length, I’m not sure, but she sure did a fine job regardless.

I made her cum first, which is always a good feeling as a man. I ate her out for a while, ignoring her clit entirely, but once I touched that, her orgasm was assured, as turned on as she was. All I needed to do was touch her clit a few times over the next few minutes, and once she told me she was close, I focused on her clit entirely and when I felt her shudder, I knew she was close if not about to cum. When she breathed my name and couldn’t focus on me anymore, I knew she was ready to cum, and going to cum hard. And that’s just what happened.

It was beautiful, feeling her writhe in my hands, continuing to pleasure her before she simply had to ask me to stop. Taking a few deep breaths, she lifted herself up and swung herself around, straddling my body and immediately kissing me, not desperately, more in appreciation for what I’d just done. “Gods, Shepard,” she moaned.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“I haven’t had my pussy treated like that in ages.” The smile on my face simply broadened. “I should finish you…”

“Oh no, I’d rather something else.”

That made Emily smile. “Oh… And what would you like, Shepard?”

I faked looking at my watch. “Well, let’s just say, I wouldn’t mind doing certain things that would leave us hot, sweaty and sticky over the next few hours.”

That made her giggle. “Hours?”

“Well, we’ll need a break for a drink every so often.”

She leaned down to kiss me, lifting herself up, reaching back to grab the base of my cock before I felt the tip placed at her entrance. “Shepard, I’ve never been with a man on the first date,” she whispered.

“So I’m special then?”

She kissed me softly again. “You’re Commander Shepard,” she whispered, “I’m not the only one who wants this.”

Lowering herself slowly on my cock, I couldn’t help groan once I was buried inside her. By god, she was tight, feeling her shudder and shuffle as I didn’t even trust myself to move. If I did, I’d probably cum really hard. She took at least a minute to get comfortable, her knees to either side of my body, as she leaned forward. I ran my hands down her body, eventually resting one on her arse, the other running up and down her body. Otherwise, she simply met my eyes as she slowly rode me, moving my legs so I could thrust up into her at the right angle.

“Shepard,” she breathed.

“Won’t last long,” I muttered.

The smirk reappeared. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll recover quickly.”

I moved my other hand down to her arse and started to fuck her. She grabbed the headboard and simply settled in for the duration. I enjoyed all the noises she made, but I was more focused on my orgasm by now. Watching her face, she loved being fucked, urging me on to finally cum inside her. I can only last so long until I needed to finish, letting her know I was close. That’s when she leaned down to give me a soft kiss before resting her forehead against mine. “Don’t worry, Shepard. It’s fine,” she whispered.

So I came inside her, and I’ll admit, I came really hard. The sort of toe-curling orgasm that causes one, a male, to nearly if not pass out from the euphoria. Relaxing back on her bed, I heard Emily giggle as she rested on top of me, feeling her breasts press into my chest, with it enough to run a hand up and down her back. We lay together in silence, both of us now having enjoyed at least one orgasm.

“Well…”

“How long until you can go again, Shepard?” I couldn’t help chuckle. That made her look up. “Oh, trust me on this one, I want you to fuck me now.”

“On your back, legs in the air?”

“Something that like.” I felt her squeeze me with her pussy, always a good thing. “All I know is that I don’t plan on sleeping until later.”

So Emily ended up on her back around fifteen minutes later. Wrapping her hands under her knees, she spread herself wide, as all I did was slide my cock inside her, lean down to give her a gentle kiss… and then I fucked her. And I mean properly fucked her. However, while I was going hard, I could rest on one arm and still tease her, managing to play with her clit at the same time. That just drove her wild, and she eventually had to release her legs, wrapping them around me as her arms wrapped around me, dragging me down to kiss her.

“Oh my god!” she cried. Grabbing a pillow, I placed it under her arse, knowing it would change the angle. Once I started to fuck her again, she cried, “Holy shit, Shepard!”

“What?” I managed to ask casually.

I swear, I think she was close to getting emotional. “Holy shit, I’m about to cum again!”

Leaning down to her ear, I whispered, “Then cum for me, Emily. Cum for your Commander.”

Arms wrapped around me again, her legs wrapped around me tightly as I heard her start to groan into my ear. I was utterly pounding her by now, lifting her off the bed by now, but she was loving every second. When I felt her shake in my arms, I knew she was enjoying another orgasm, hearing her whisper for me not to stop until, around a minute later, she did ask me to stop. I stayed still, buried inside her, as she lay back and sucked in a few deep breaths.

She looked up and smiled once again. “Holy shit!” I’ll admit, I felt a little embarrassed. She was the first I’d been with since Annie who wasn’t a woman or asari I’d paid for, so hearing all her genuine comments felt good. “Hang on, you haven’t finished…”

“Don’t need…”

She smiled as she gently pushed on my chest so I sat up. She then gestured for what I should do, lying on my back as she kneeled between my legs, gently stroking my cock. “Now Shepard, I’m going to suck your cock until you finish. And all you need do is cum. Trust me, I will take whatever you give me.” I couldn’t help smile as she leaned up to kiss me. “Do you know how long it’s been since a man gave me a few orgasms?” I shook my head. “Never, so trust me, this is my treat.”

Damn, she was good before, but now that I wasn’t returning the favour and she could concentrate on my cock, she was brilliant. I was never going to last long, but the fact she could swallow my length? I was above average, I knew that, and previous lovers knew that. Annie loved the fact. But it was clear to me, then and there, that Emily had no gag reflex. And she seemed to love going down on me, her eyes looking up as my nearly my entire cock disappeared inside her mouth.

No man would last forever being shown the sort of appreciation Emily was showing me. I warned her I was about to cum, but all she did was look up again and seemed to smile. My arms were long enough to run a hand through her hair, which she definitely seemed to appreciate, before warning her again I was about to cum. I groaned loudly as the first shot would have taken her by surprise, but I never felt her lips remove. In fact, I’m sure they tightened around my cock as I felt my cock fire at least half a dozen good shots into her mouth before it quivered and finally seemed to be empty.

Emily kept pleasuring me until she was sure I was empty, one of her hands caressing my chest, the other gently caressing my cock. Finally removing her lips, I couldn’t help be slightly startled at the fact she had swallowed my cum as she kissed my chest before she straddled my groin once again, leaning down to kiss me. “Well, you don’t taste half bad, Shepard,” she whispered.

I dragged her down so I could kiss her again. “I’m eating your pussy again in the morning,” I growled. That just made her giggle. “But I’m thinking we should shower right now.”

She had a luxurious bathroom, the shower large enough that we could relax together under the water. After washing each other, we simply hugged under the water, both of us no doubt feeling incredibly relaxed. “Can this happen again”? she finally asked.

“I don’t see why not. I just… I don’t…”

“I understand, Shepard. Honestly, all I need is a little stress relief myself. And if someone like you were to knock on my door every so often…”

“I can agree to that arrangement.”

We dried each other off then headed to her bed. When she spooned herself against me, wrapping my arms around her, it felt nice. Better than nice. Unlike the numerous other partners I’d been with since Annie, Emily wanted to be with me at that moment because she genuinely wanted to. I gave her a gentle squeeze, feeling her run a hand up and down one my arms. “Don’t get attached,” she whispered.

“What? Me?”

“No… Me, Shepard. I’m a professional….”

That made me chuckle. “Well, most of the time.”

She flipped around to face me, wrapping me arms around her as she nestled her head under my chin. “I can separate my job and this. Can you?”

“Easily. Though I now have a reason to return to the Citadel every so often if this is going to happen.”

“Maybe not just straight to bed though? Perhaps you could treat me to dinner first?”

“I can do that.”

She smiled again before turning around, shuffling back into my body. I heard her sigh and I think she was rather content with life. She was the first woman I’d been with since Annie who wasn’t bought and paid for. I’d practically avoided any sort of personal life, and if I’d wanted to get off, I’d find a place of ill-repute, though somewhere classy, similar to the Consort though less expensive than her.

Waking in the morning, I kept my promise of eating her pussy, giving her a couple of orgasms that had her smiling all the way through the shower we shared again and definitely through breakfast. Nothing more than some toast and coffee, but she certainly had a spring in her step as we headed out of the building. We had to part at the taxi rank, she would be heading to work, while I would head to the _Normandy_. Hugging her tightly to me, I heard her whisper again, “Don’t get attached,” before I leaned down to kiss her.

“Thinking the same, but I had a great night, Ms. Wong.”

“You had better come back and see me, Commander Shepard.”

“Definitely.”

I already had her contact details, so she simply told me to call her whenever I was back before she slid inside a cab and disappeared. I took a taxi back towards the docks, getting out early so I could simply stroll along for a little while, whistling a tune to myself. I probably looked rather happy and relaxed, noticing the occasional grin from people passing by me.

It was while I was heading back to the ship that I found myself stopped by an incredibly well spoken woman. No idea who she was but she definitely seemed to recognise me, though considering my face was now all over the news, I guess that was little wonder. “Commander Shepard, I was hoping to meet you here.”

“Oh, and why is that, Miss…?”

“My name is Helena Blake. And, well, I will admit that I am in the need of some help. I cannot go to the regular authorities due to the nature of my business. Therefore, I have a business proposition for the lone human Spectre that can operate outside the rules.”

I couldn’t help chuckle. “Listen, lady, all you need say is you run some sort of criminal enterprise. Everyone knows my record by now.”

She smiled. “Very well. I am part of a rather successful criminal syndicate. I won’t go into details, but I do have a matter which should concern you. Two of my business partners have decided to change the course of our organisation, doing things I can simply not agree with.”

“Such as?”

“Well, for one, they have started dealing in red sand. I cannot abide by drug taking. The second thing is that they have started dealing with batarians and the slave trade. I figured those two things alone would gain your interest and perhaps you would be willing to deal with them.”

“What do you get out of it?”

“Complete control of the organisation and I can guide it the way I see fit.”

“And what do I get out of it?”

“Would credits do?” I simply gave her a look she couldn’t misinterpret. She started to blush before stepping forward. “My, Commander, I’m old enough to know this could be a very bad idea,” she said softly.

“Possibly, but I can assure you we’ll also have a hell of a lot of fun.”

“And you’re serious? That’s all you’d want?”

“Fine woman such as yourself, all you need do is join me for dinner, a drink, and if you’re interested, we can do other things after that.” She was speechless for a moment; I think honestly not believing me. “So you don’t think I’m a complete arse, I’m not actually expecting the third thing. But dinner and drinks would be nice.”

“I could get your credits, weapons... Yet all you want is, what, my company?”

“Yep.”

“Despite who I am?”

“Oh, definitely because of who you are. Might learn a thing or two.” That made her laugh, the sort of sound that definitely made me feel funny. “So, is that your agreement?”

She stepped forward, resting a hand on my chest before leaning up to kiss my cheek. “Dinner and drinks does sound very nice, Commander. And if you were to sweep me off my feet, as they say, I think I could find the third thing rather enjoyable too.” She stepped back and keyed her omni-tool, sending me some information. “For protection, the two work on separate planets, in separate systems, in separate clusters. Once you’ve taken care of them, you’ll find me on the planet of Amaranthine, in the Horse Head Nebula. That’s my base of operations.”

“Okay. I have a few other things to do obviously, but if I’m in the area, I’ll certainly take care of these two fools.”

“You have my thanks, Commander,” she said, before catching me slightly by surprise when she kissed my cheek. “I look forward to seeing you again soon.”

She turned and walked away, and I definitely watched her go. I wouldn’t guess picking her age. Older than me, but younger than say Chakwas. I knew how old she was, and I already knew I’d have some fun with her if the opportunity presented itself. Considering humans now lived much longer, and thanks to genetic engineering, you only started to look old once you were past triple figures. Did leave me wondering why some people let their hair go grey or silver at a young age though.

Upon approaching the ship, there was a gaggle of people waiting to board, including all my new team, noticing them all turn towards me as I walked towards them. “Good night, Commander?” Alenko asked.

“It was, Lieutenant. And you?”

“Oh, we had a few drinks, some of us danced, but we noticed you enter and leave with someone.”

“Emily Wong,” Garrus stated, “I’ve read one or two of her articles. Good at her job.”

“I helped her with something,” I said with a shrug.

“Uh-huh,” Alenko stated.

“You fuck her?” Wrex asked.

“A gentleman never tells, Wrex. Then again, I’m not exactly a gentleman, but I’m not one to speak of private moments either.”

“Yeah, you fucked her alright.”

“Where are we heading next, Shepard?” Ashley asked.

Gesturing to the air lock, I suggested we board and get ready to depart and I’ll let them know. Wrex continued to make a joke or two at my expense, making note of the fact I seemed to be in a rather good mood. Joker was already in place; aware he didn’t move around all that much due to his disease. The rest of the crew was in position, Pressly standing in his usual place by the galaxy map.

“Have an idea of where to go next, Shepard?” the Navigator asked.

“I’m thinking Feros. I’ve done a little reading about it. Zhu’s Hope is a small colony there, apparently based within the remains of an enormous Prothean city. Why it wasn’t completely destroyed, I’m not sure. Might have to ask Liara about that. And part of me thinks a colony like that could be the perfect target for Saren and his geth.”

“Any other messages or requests of help?”

“I’ve just had someone ask for some help but, for now, I think we’ll focus on Feros. The other thing we can worry about afterwards.”

Inputting our destination into the galaxy map, Joker confirmed and I got to work as he back the _Normandy_ out of dock and set us on our way. After reading through a series of small requests and other messages before I headed down to the mess, Alenko in his usual place, glancing to see Liara and Chakwas deep in conversation in the med-bay. I didn’t just want to stay in my room the entire time, isolated from the crew, so figured I would head down to the garage.

Wrex was standing around doing absolutely nothing as usual. Garrus was tinkering with the Mako, and he was in a world of his own, so I left him to it. Tali was in deep conversation with Chief Engineer Adams, who had already been in my ear, and had sent me numerous messages, about how he loved having a quarian with him. Ashley was busy dealing with weapons and armour, so I figured I’d bother her.

“Enjoy your time on the Citadel, Chief?”

“Yes, sir,” she replied, busy putting an Avenger back together.

“Few drinks and a dance?”

She gave me a look and smirked. “Don’t want to see me dance, sir.”

“You and me both. I can dance on the battlefield but on a dancefloor? New born giraffe shows more grace.”

She looked away before saying, “Seemed to be enjoying yourself with Ms. Wong though.”

“We had a nice night together.”

“How long have you been dating?”

That made me chuckle. “We’re not dating, Chief. That was our first date, though calling it that would be… Well…” I trailed off and cleared my throat.

Now she looked at me with a smirk. “So I’m assuming Wrex was correct then.” She held up a hand. “You don’t have to say anything, sir. I think it was rather obvious the way you came strolling towards us.”

I thought I’d make a joke of my own. “Sounds like someone is jealous, Chief.”

She snorted, which simply made me laugh, which made her laugh too. “Think highly of yourself, sir?”

“I’ve been told I have a certain charm.”

She gave me a sideways glance. “Well, even if I was interested, that would be fraternisation between two Alliance soldiers. And that would be wrong, sir.”

“Though technically I’m still Alliance, I think my Spectre status would supersede that.”

“While that might be true, you would still be a superior officer trying to get into the pants of a non-commissioned officer. Not sure how favourably people would look at that, sir.”

“Anyone would think you were suggesting something, Chief.”

“Me? Not at all, sir.” She glanced at me for a second. “Are you?”

“I’m not suggesting anything either. Merely having a conversation with my Chief.”

“That’s good. Anyway, are we off to Feros or Noveria?”

“Feros.”

“Good. Hopefully we’ll run into more of those geth bastards.”

“Have you taken my advice?”

She nodded. “Chakwas has a bit of history regarding psychology, so she’s offered to sit down with me once a week. That and the occasional day or two away from the ship to clear my head will help me going forward.” She now looked at me in the eyes. “Thanks for actually giving a shit, Shepard.”

I recognised the use of my name. “No problem, Ash. And you ever need to talk, my door is always open.”

The journey from the Citadel to Feros took a couple of days, though everyone had a job to keep themselves occupied. With each day that passed, the crew was more comfortable around each other. Anderson had recruited the best possible people for every position when he’d been given the command of the _Normandy_. I certainly wasn’t going to charge in and change everything, trusting his judgement and selections.

Joker let me know when the _Normandy_ entered the system, and I could hear him trying to contact someone on the ground once we entered the atmosphere. Zhu’s Hope was the only colony on the planet, so if they were not responding, that wasn’t good. “Just take us in, Joker. All we can do is land and see what the deal is.”

“Aye, sir. Taking us in. Hopefully there’s some sort of dock I can slide us into.”

Looking through the windows, spires sprung up from the low cloud cover, left wondering just what lay underneath. Zhu’s Hope was a relatively new company. Trying to find out anything about Feros itself was difficult, almost as if it was a secret.

Joker continued his attempts at contacting someone on the ground before we broke through cloud cover to see the expanse of the ruins below us. Joker and I whistled together as he managed to get a lock on the colony at least, his fingers flying across the holographic screens in front of him, slowly but surely bringing the ship into dock.

By the time I turned around, my team was armed, armoured, and ready to move out. Putting on my helmet, I led the way to the airlock and into one hell of a shitstorm. The geth were there, and they were there in force.


	6. Book 1, Chapter 6 - Colonial Affairs

To call the situation on Feros, and in particular Zhu’s Hope, a clusterfuck would be a vast underestimation of the situation on the ground. To be honest, I wouldn’t even know where to start. Actually, I do. Right after we’d stepped off the _Normandy_…

We might not have established communication with the ground but they knew we’d arrived, someone running towards us after we’d disembarked. Weapons were readied though I signalled to lower them as the human came to a stop. He introduced himself and told us their leader, Fai Dan, wanted to speak with us. Before we could even ask a single question, the geth shot him. I caught his body as my colleagues opened fire, moving him into cover before I joined in the fight. No idea how many geth there were, but we killed them all quite quickly.

By the time we were done, our greeter was dead, and that just put us all in a bad mood. But the geth now knew we were there and they sent numbers of them in our direction. The ancient ruins were falling apart, amazed anyone had managed to establish a colony, and the constant gunfire exchanged between our group and the geth probably didn’t help matters. The geth had stronger units on Feros than on Therum, with geth that had rocket launchers at their disposal, and there were also these geth that seemed to leap really fast, and could hang from walls and ceilings. My biotic colleagues helped with them.

Just getting to the colony was a pain in the arse. By the time we walked into the middle of it, I think all seven of us was left wondering what the point of it really was and why they hadn’t simply abandoned it. There was the wreckage of a freighter that acted as housing, plenty of tarpaulins and tents to provide shelter. There appeared to be little vegetation and I did wonder about a water source. A colony without water was doomed to fail.

By the time we reached Fai Dan, we’d barely exchanged greetings when the geth attacked in force again. I told the colonists to get to safety as the seven of us spread out and opened fire. Tali was raining tech attacks down on them, Alenko and even Garrus assisting her. Liara and Alenko were mixing up their biotic attacks, and I learned they could cause explosions at the same time. As for Ashley, Wrex and I, it was a shooting gallery. No idea how many of the bastards we left on the ground, but we took great joy in riddling them with many, many bullets.

We eventually moved into the tower, wiping out any geth resistance there, before moving our way through the ruins, the geth presence reminding me of cockroaches. They were absolutely everywhere and refused to die easily. I have no idea where we ended up, simply turning left and right until we were pretty much lost, but as long as we fought geth, we knew we were doing the job. As the geth fell and we cleared each section, we also sent any colonists we found back the way we’d come, assuring them the path was now clear.

Ending up in a dead end full of geth, I was left thinking this was their last stand, at least for now. There were all sorts of geth waiting for us, including an enormous fucker that Tali called a Juggernaut. Ashley and I sent grenades at it while Wrex thought charging it head on was a good idea. There were explosions around us as rocket drones flew overhead, Tali and Alenko taking care of them. Liara was in the thick of the action with her biotics, amazed at her skill, not as a biotic, but by the fact she was getting stuck in with the rest of us.

When the last geth fell, a dropship that had been resting above us immediately took off, making me wish I had some sort of missile launcher to take the ship down. However, that signalled the worst of it over, so I suggested we head back to the colony and ascertain the situation. I was thinking of an immediate evacuation, though assumed the colonists would want to stay and fight.

It was immediately clear that Fai Dan was a good man and cared for the colony and its people. But no-one could really explain why the geth were attacking. However, the geth had established a presence on Feros, using ExoGeni headquarters as their base.

“ExoGeni?” I asked. Never heard of them, glancing to see everyone else shrug their shoulders.

“It’s the company most of us worked for before the attacks. They fund this colony,” Arcelia replied, who seemed to be Fai Dan’s number two, “The Skyway leads directly to ExoGeni HQ. You can’t miss it.”

“Of course, there’s an army of geth between here and there,” Fai Dan added.

“No problem. Every geth we killed brings us one step closer to finding Saren.”

“Then maybe I can get this colony operational again.”

“Having problems?”

He looked across my team. “I wouldn’t know where to start. There are the mundane issues, like food, power and water. But then there are the geth in the tunnels. We believe they have a transmitter as their attacks always seem to be co-ordinated.”

Turning to my squad, I suggested we could help the colony out first before moving on. I had Tali and Alenko assist with the power and water issues, and Wrex was happy enough to help regarding the food once he learned he could kill some varren. That left Ashley, Liara, Garrus and I to deal with the geth in the tunnels. It was another shooting gallery, and the bastards were guarding a transmitter. Liara offered to switch it off. Ashley and I simply threw a few grenades and blew the thing up.

Returning to the colony, Tali and Alenko had got the power on at least, noticing lights were now on in the freighter, and there were a few lights dotted around otherwise. I could see nearly all the colonists were exhausted, so offered to have my team keep watch for the evening so everyone could get some rest. Over a fire, I spoke with Fai Dan about Zhu’s Hope and what life was once like before the attack. It seemed like many had been killed, and those left were the last hope it would survive. I offered to evacuate and, while thankful, he refused, stating the colony was his home and he would not go without a fight, willing to die for it if necessary. I couldn’t help but respect the man.

I did ask about ExoGeni as well, but apart from the fact they bankrolled the colony, and were interested in various artefacts, no-one was sure why they were on the planet when they hadn’t managed to find anything yet. I think there was more to it but I doubted Fai Dan or any of the other colonists would know, probably kept in the dark for a reason.

I took one of the later patrols with Alenko and Tali. The former kept to himself, which wasn’t unusual, so I found myself chatting with Tali. She was still as excitable as her first day on the _Normandy_, and I could only compliment her for her bravery every time we fought the geth.

“There’s a lot of hatred of the geth from my people, considering what they did to us.”

“What did they do?”

“You don’t know?”

“Quarian history isn’t something we’ve been taught a lot about.”

She nodded in understanding. “Fair enough. The easiest way to explain it is that the quarians made the geth, they were our servants but we also cared for them, then one day, they chose to turn on us, killed most of our people, and caused us to flee into exile. They now infest our homeworld while our people drift amongst the stars.”

Sounded simple. Probably wasn’t. But I wasn’t in the position to argue. “Could you ever take your homeworld back?”

That made her laugh. “Shepard, we have fifty-thousand or so ships but most of them are either transporters or habitation ships. We have a heavy fleet, but it’s not large enough to take on the geth. We would need the help of the Council to take our homeworld back, something they have never shown any interest in doing. They believe it is our fault, stripping us of our embassy and forcing on us a treaty forbidding us to attack them.”

“Doesn’t really seem fair.”

“It isn’t but it also prevents us from doing something completely suicidal. So now we just drift aimlessly. No quarian has set foot on our homeworld for three hundred years. No-one alive even knows what it really looks like. Everything was lost when we fled. Culture and history, gone in an instant. The only thing we’ve really kept alive is our language.”

“Language is what binds many people on Earth together.”

“You have more than one?”

“We use English as a global standard and is the language we use throughout the galaxy. But back on Earth, there are many local and regional languages.”

Tali sighed. “If we had something like that, the rest disappeared a long time ago now. All we have left is Khelish, which I think was a major language anyway but… As I said, we lost nearly everything during our exodus.”

“Guess I can’t sit here and complain about anything now.”

She gave me a look before starting to giggle. “It’s not all bad, Shepard. Our hardships have brought us closer together as people. Everyone works for the benefit of the Fleet. We make do with what we have.”

“Guess the Normandy is an upgrade then?”

“Shepard, it’s so advanced, I still can’t believe I’m on your ship most of the time.”

“Adams speaks highly of you so I made the right choice.”

“Can I ask a personal question?”

“Sure. About what?”

“Well, I’m sure you’re thinking something about your past, or Elysium but… When Wrex asked you about that lady reporter…” I couldn’t help but look at her in surprise. She seemed to notice and shrugged. “I’m a quarian, Shepard. Relations of that kind are practically impossible unless they take place in the right conditions.”

“Do you really want to know?”

“I’m intrigued as I have a feeling Ashley was jealous, while Liara I think was… disappointed.”

“And you?”

She just gave me a gentle push. “Behave, Shepard. So, did you have… you know, sex with her?”

“Why are you interested?”

“Because I’m not blind. You’re a good looking man in addition to being undoubtedly brave and an all-round good man. So I assume there will be more than one woman who will want your company.”

“Not to sound too arrogant but I think your last point might be right.”

“Would you want to be with Ashley or Liara?”

“I’ll be honest and admit that, apart from a little light flirting with Ash, I haven’t really thought about it. Being involved with someone on the same ship is usually a no-no due to fraternisation rules, and I can just see it being awkward otherwise. Not saying no, but I’d rather keep my work and private life separate.”

Thankfully she dropped the subject after that, and we were eventually relieved by Garrus and Wrex. Waking the next morning, the last thing to complete was getting the water running. Everyone pitched in to make sure all the pipes were connected with no leaks, and once we could turn on the taps and water was flowing freely, and more importantly was clean, we could focus on the next task at hand.

ExoGeni Headquarters was a fair distance away across the Skyway. Fai Dan nor anyone else could tell us if anyone had survived over there, and the only way to find out would be for us to head across and investigate. I gave the colonists our details so we could maintain contact as we headed up towards the Skyway. I was thinking it was going to a gruelling march across to the next tower, but I was pleased when we found an abandoned Mako. After carrying out a quick check to make sure it was still functional, the team clambered aboard and we headed off.

The geth knew we were coming, that same bloody dropship that had taken off earlier, returning to drop more troops and a couple of Armatures. Wrex suggested the same thing again, stopping as Garrus fired, Wrex, Ashley, Liara and Alenko popping out to provide ground support, using the Mako as cover.

I found the geth armed with rockets more of a concern, particularly those that had rockets that seemed to have some sort of guidance. I decided to show the geth, and my team, a trick or two with the thrusters. If a driver timed it right, it was possible to make the Mako ‘leap’ off the ground. I tried that a couple of times before one rocket impacted, causing our shields to drop significantly.

“Sorry,” I muttered, glancing at Tali.

“Lesson learned, Shepard.”

“Aye, stop showing off and just get the job done.”

We ran into a few more Armatures, Garrus dealing with those, as those on the ground handled the troopers. I figured Alenko would be using his tech attacks, while through the small windscreen, I could see Liara using her biotics, watching geth be lifted into the air and practically float away, while one or two were lifted up then slammed into the ground. Knowing Wrex had some biotic talents, I figured he’d be doing that for a giggle.

I’m not sure how far we were across, but the radio had been silent except for our communication until we seemed to reach a building ahead. If others were trying to get in contact with us, that could only mean survivors. I stopped to let the others back on before we entered what looked like some sort of garage, heading down a couple of levels before I brought the Mako to a stop. Piling out, I suggested we stay tight but unarmed, not wanting to alarm the survivors.

Finding ourselves in a large room, there was a large gaggle of humans around. I noticed a couple of security guards, watching us warily. The rest simply looked exhausted and fed-up. A lone man, well-dressed and with a pistol in hand, approached us. I gestured for one or two people behind me to take out their weapons but stay loose.

“Who are you?”

I simply folded my arms and glared. “I could ask you the same question, considering you approach unarmed people armed with a weapon of your own.”

“Could have been geth for all we knew.”

I laughed, glancing left and right. “Weird looking geth.”

One or two chuckled as an older woman approached us, practically barging the other man out of the way. “Don’t mind him, he only cares about the company.” Offering her hand, she added, “I’m Juliana Baynham. You are?”

Accepting her hand, I let her know who I was. “Commander Shepard. Alliance Navy, though also a Council Spectre. Don’t think the news would have made it here.” I followed up by introducing everyone else in my squad. “What’s the situation here? Those remaining in Zhu’s Hope had no idea if anyone survived.”

“There are some still alive?” She made an obvious gesture at the other gentleman. “Jeong told us they were all dead.”

I looked at him. “Didn’t you care to check if that was correct? They could have used your assistance.”

“What the hell could we have done? We’re barely surviving here ourselves.”

He made a good point so I let it go. “Okay, Juliana. Looks like you people need some help too. So what we’re going to do is head to ExoGeni Headquarters and…”

“That is private property. You have no right…”

He was already pissing me off, so I clocked him across the jaw, putting him on the ground. “Council Spectre, in case you didn’t hear me the first time. I go where I please.” Looking back at Juliana, I continued. “As I was saying, we’ll take a look around the tower and see what the geth are up to.”

“While you’re doing that, can you see if you can find my daughter, Lizbeth?”

“I told you she’s probably…” He shut up as I sensed a couple of weapons were aimed at him.

“Just give me a reason, arsehole,” Ashley stated, “Suits like you are the reason colonists in Zhu’s Hope are left to suffer.”

“There’s always hope, Juliana. We’ll keep an eye out for any more survivors. If we can find her, we’ll bring her back.”

“Thank you, Commander.”

“Once we return, we’ll escort you to Zhu’s Hope and see what we can do next.”

“Thank you again, Commander.”

I moved the team away from the survivors, thinking I should keep a couple of people back. “Ashley, Alenko, stay here with them. Speak with the survivors, provide medical aid where required, and basically just keep their spirits up. You’re in Alliance uniform so at least they won’t be feeling abandoned now.”

“Aye, sir,” Alenko replied, both of them saluting and making their way towards Juliana.

I gestured for the rest to follow me and, once out of sight and definitely hearing, I brought them to a halt, dropping my voice. “Don’t know what you’re thinking but I think ExoGeni has been up to some shit here. Anyone disagree?”

“I suggest we look around, Shepard,” Liara stated.

“I think I can hack into some workstations and terminals while we move,” Tali added.

“Good. Garrus, Wrex, we’ll just kill geth.”

They liked the sound of that, so after a check of weapons, we moved on. Entering the building itself, we ran into a few geth, surprised to see them chasing after a woman. She slid into cover as we opened fire immediately, the geth turning towards us, though they wilted and died under our firepower. The woman looked up out of cover, saw us, and fired her pistol. At times like that, I’m glad we now have shield. She cried out in surprise, stepping out, realising we were human, and immediately apologising.

I waved away her concerns. “It’s fine. I’m just wondering who you are.”

“I’m Lizbeth Baynham. Who are you?”

“Commander Shepard. And your mother is worried sick about you.”

“She’s alive?” I nodded. “Thank god. I thought everyone was dead once the geth attacked. It happened so fast, I thought I would have had time to back up the data before they trapped me.”

“Are there any other survivors inside?” She shook her head. “Okay, what are the geth after?”

She looked away, immediately uncomfortable with the question. “I don’t know.”

I heard Garrus scoff. Wrex muttered ‘Well, that’s bullshit’. “Out with it, Lizbeth. You’re not only speaking to a Commander of the Alliance Navy, but also a Spectre.” The eyes widened immediately and I think I even scared her. “I’m not going to do anything if you just tell me what ExoGeni are up to.”

She sighed. “They’re probably here for the Thorian, Commander.”

I shared a glance with my colleagues. “Thorian? What the hell is a Thorian?” I wondered.

“You don’t know?” I think we all shook our heads. “It’s an indigenous lifeform native to this planet. ExoGeni has been studying it.”

“Studying it? To what end?”

“To be honest, Commander, most of what you need is on the data I was backing up. I don’t have it with me now. You’ll have to clear out the geth and disable that barrier to get what you need.”

“Right, the best thing you can do is try and make your way to the garage where the other survivors are. We’ll clear out the tower, get what we need, and meet you there.”

“Okay, Commander.”

The geth had infested the tower. They were absolutely everywhere, and the five of us took great delight in wiping them out. We also came across a couple of krogan within, leaving those for Wrex to deal with. He seemed to take pleasure in gutting any krogan who dared face him in battle. Considering how ferocious he was, I already knew I would probably never be dumb enough to do that. He reminded me of a cat with a mouse, toying with it before making the killing blow.

As we made our way through the tower, we did stop at the occasional terminal, as the VI system within the tower was still working. Asking it questions, we discovered that ExoGeni had observation sensors monitoring Zhu’s Hope. I wasn’t the only one to question why ExoGeni would be monitoring a simple colony. That’s when the revelation was made and those ExoGeni employees we had found would definitely be answering questions upon our return.

“VI, what does the Thorian have to do with Zhu’s Hope?” I asked.

“Species 37, the Thorian, is located in the depths below the colony.”

I felt the ice flow through my veins, my colleagues shuffling uncomfortably behind me. I knew some organisations could push the boundaries of ethics, but this was something else entirely. “This might explain their somewhat unusual behaviour,” Liara stated quietly.

“VI, tell me everything you can about the Thorian,” I demanded.

“The Thorian appears to be a simple plant life-form that displays surprising sentient behaviour. Through dispersion and inhalation of its spores, the Thorian is able to infect and control any local organisms, including humans. Eighty-five percent of Zhu's Hope colonists have displayed signs of infection before sensors went offline.”

“Those fuckers are going to pay,” I growled.

“I don’t believe it,” Garrus muttered.

“VI, they are purposely infecting the colonists of Zhu’s Hope?” I asked for absolute clarification.

“It was deemed necessary to assess the potential of the Thorian,” the VI stated.

I didn’t need to hear any more, ordering the group to move out. There is no doubt we were completely pissed off, though as the lone human, I definitely, well, I let the rage flow as we mowed down room after room of geth. As there were plenty of them around, Tali made note that they definitely seemed smarter, the more networked together, the more intelligent they seemed to be. They certainly tried to entice us into more than one trap, thankfully recognising it before we stupidly walked into it.

To be honest, I was amazed we got through it all without any major injuries. Shields failed at times. Armour was marked. We did get some scratches, but no major wounds were taken. Even Tali, who I knew could be killed from any minor wound that could turn into an infection, did not hesitate for a second, though I think the fact we were fighting geth helped her overcome any fear she might have felt. As for Liara, I think after Therum, she certainly felt righteous in taking some revenge. Wrex just wanted to kill things, while Garrus was just happy to be off the Citadel.

Whenever we had a quiet moment, Tali would do some hacking, and that’s when she found something interesting. She found a log mentioning an organisation called Cerberus. I'd heard of them before, though only in passing. I did know they were classified by the Alliance as a terrorist organisation, but apart from that, I didn’t know much about them.

“What does it say, Tali?”

“It says that ExoGeni has sent samples to a research facility based on Nodacrux. It’s in the Maroon Sea Cluster.”

“Right, we are going straight there after we deal with all the shit going on here. Download whatever you can find on the server. These fuckers are going to burn.”

As we moved up the tower, killing ever more geth, we noticed things on the wall, Tali finally recognised them as clamps that a geth dropship was using to connect itself to the side of the building. Following cables, we finally arrived at a workstation, and were immediately confronted by a fuckload of geth. As Tali got to work, the four of us opened fire. That’s when we did take wounds. Nothing life-threatening, but it definitely took medi-gel to get Garrus and myself up and fighting again. My wound was bloody stupid, looking out of cover at just the wrong time, the bullet going straight into my shoulder. In and out, immediately using medi-gel to clear and clean it.

“You okay, Shepard?” Tali asked, hearing concern.

“Oh, hurts like fuck and I’ll need to see Chakwas later, but it’s fine. Medi-gel is wonderful.”

The geth kept coming until I heard a loud noise, glancing back to see something slam shut before there was an enormous groan and then… a series of loud crunches above and below us, Tali reporting that the dropship was now detaching itself. We never heard it crash to the ground below, but if geth felt fear, they would now. “Kill the fuckers!” I cried. Tali joined in as we slaughtered the bastards.

_"Commander! Are you there? Commander!"_

Taking cover, I put a finger to my ear. "Joker? What is it?"

_"Commander? Finally! Sir, the colonists have gone crazy. We're all holed up in the Normandy right now. We don't know what's going on, but whatever you've done there, something has them riled up."_

"Okay, Joker. Just stay put. And, whatever you do, leave the colonists be. There are things going on here that you need to be aware of, but as I say, just keep to the ship and you'll be fine."

_"If you say so, Commander. Also, keep in mind, there are plenty of geth still around. They appear to be heading your way."_

"Thanks, Joker. Keep in contact. We're heading back now."

_"Aye, sir."_

Once the last geth hit the ground, we moved quickly, finding a stairwell and practically running downstairs, though ensuring we still checked corners, but I was confident the building was now clear. Exiting out into garage where we’d originally entered the tower and found Lizbeth, I was surprised we found her still there. She was relieved to see us, but she almost cowered as I strode towards her.

“You lied,” I growled. I noticed her gulp, immediately nodding, her eyes moving from me to my colleagues, back to me. She was definitely afraid. I’ll admit, I felt a little guilty, but after everything we’d discovered, I was beyond pissed off. “You’d better level with me here, Lizbeth. There’s a lot more going on that you told me before and I think you do know.”

She looked across us again before sighing. “May I speak to you in private?” I gestured for my colleagues to move away. Once we had privacy, she continued in a soft voice. “You don't understand, Commander. I never wanted the tests. They were innocent people. I tried to get them to stop but… They threatened me. Threatened my mother. Threatened that we'd end up just like them if we continued to interfere.”

“I assume ExoGeni threatened you?”

She nodded. “Yes. That's why I had stayed behind. It was about the data, but I was trying to send it to Colonial Affairs. Someone must be made aware of what they are doing here! But, the geth arrived and cut the power before I could complete the message. I'm… I'm sorry.”

I took a moment before stating, “I believe you, Lizbeth. But I think we need to have words with one of your colleagues.”

She grimaced but nodded without a word, the six of us climbing into the Mako for the short drive back. The geth were putting up what I would call a last stand, figuring they were now isolated having destroyed one of their ships. Feeling rather incensed, I may have resorted to ramming Armatures over the side of the Skyway, Tali yelling at me occasionally when she needed to re-route power to the shields. I just floored it, Garrus firing the machine gun incessantly, barely able to keep up with how many he killed.

As I drove, we discussed what we had discovered. Liara put two and two together quickly. The Thorian had mind-control abilities. The geth wouldn’t be interested in that, but Saren sure would be. I felt nothing but sympathy for the colonists. Here they were, trying to make a life for themselves, and instead they were guinea pigs in the interests of a corporation, doing god only knows what to them.

Slamming on the brakes once we arrived, I slid out of the Mako with pistol in hand. Jeong saw me coming, Lizbeth brushing past me, though coming to a halt when Jeong grabbed Juliana. Thankfully, she managed to put an elbow into his gut, running to her daughter. He stupidly raised his pistol towards me. I heard a shot come from behind, the bullet going into his shoulder, watching the gun fall from his hand. I stepped forward and put a fist into his gut, before sweeping his legs, his back now on the ground, stepping onto the wound for good measure as he cried out.

“I know everything, Jeong. And I mean everything.”

“What do you mean, Commander?” Juliana asked.

“ExoGeni are using Zhu’s Hope as an experiment. The colonists are unwitting test subjects to the mind control abilities of the Thorian. And Jeong here knows all about it. His name is everywhere. Now, Mr. Jeong, give me one good reason why I don’t put a bullet in your head right now. Because, trust me on this, I’m not the only one itching to do it.”

“You kill me, the colony disappears. ExoGeni want this place purged, Commander,” he grunted through the pain.

I pressed into his wound, earning another cry out of pain. “And why would they want that?”

“Why do you think, Commander? We’ll just get a bunch of new test subjects.”

I could only sigh as, though he was an arse, considering he’d been left behind, he wasn’t that important. An arse, but not worth executing. Didn’t need his worthless arse on my conscience. So I removed my foot and let him sit up. “You should get that wound seen to,” I suggested as I turned to my team, “Right, Joker reported in earlier that shit was going down in Zhu’s Hope. Juliana, my team will head back there first, deal with any remaining geth, before investigating whatever’s going on there. Give us around an hour’s head start before following us.”

“Yes, Commander.”

“As far as I’m concerned, the rest of you are innocent in all this, or that’s what I think so far. Don’t do anything to change my mind, but I will expect your co-operation going forward.”

“Commander, I think I speak for everyone when I admit to disgust at what you discovered.” I looked around and noticed the nodding heads. “I think we were left here due to our disagreements.”

Before we left, Lizbeth pulled me to the side and gave me some canisters, claiming it was an anti-Thorian gas she and a few others had been working on. “Working on it in secret,” she whispered, “In case we had the chance to help them.”

“Thanks. We’ll put it to good use.”

“Good luck.”

No doubt the seven of us were pissed off in the Mako as it was unusually silent. There were only a few geth we had to deal with before arriving where we had left what felt like hours ago. It had already been a long day and, while I would have liked rest back at the colony, I had a feeling we would need to deal with the Thorian before any of us would rest easy.

Once I’d parked up the Mako and we’d gathered nearby, I gave only one order. Not a single colonist was to be harmed. I handed over a couple of canisters each, with an order to only use pistols on any non-colonist, and any colonist under the influence of the Thorian was to be taken down with non-lethal force.

Opening the garage door, we were immediately greeted by… things. I’m not sure what they were, but as we’d never seen them before, and as I was sure the Thorian knew we were coming, it was definitely something from it. Whatever these creatures were, they were tough, and our pistols barely seemed to damage them. I ordered a switch to shotguns, and that worked immediately, blasting the green things to smithereens.

“Fucking creepy fuckers,” Ashley muttered.

“Any colonists we meet who fire at us, use a canister. Do NOT fire your shotgun in their direction,” I ordered, hearing immediate affirmatives.

We moved carefully, letting the green creatures coming towards us before blasting them away. Any colonists we came across that did fire in our direction, we threw a canister and it knocked them out. We had to be methodical in our work, ensuring we were never swarmed by the green creatures. Exiting out into the colony itself, we threw a few canisters, green smoke filling the entire area, hearing plenty of coughing. Once the smoke cleared, we spread out, checking the colonists were still breathing while killing the few green creatures that were still alive, the smoke having killed plenty of them.

Then Fai Dan appeared, a pistol in hand. His face was creased in pain, his left hand holding his right wrist. His movements were otherwise jerky, as if he was being controlled… by the Thorian itself.

I didn’t approach him but immediately stored my shotgun, taking out my pistol. I felt the presence of others to either side of me, gesturing for them to holster weapons. “Dan?”

“I tried to fight it, but it gets in your head. You can't imagine the pain… I'm supposed to be their leader. These people trust me.”

“You’re a good man, Dan. Don’t let it beat you.”

“It wants me to stop you.”

“I know, Dan. But you can fight it now. Don’t do what I think…”

He lifted the weapon but not towards me. Before I could even lift my weapon, not seeming to comprehend what he was doing, he put the pistol to his head and… That’s when I lifted and fired. My bullet hit his hand, ensuring his pistol was aimed over his head by the time his finger pulled the trigger. Before he realised what was going on, I ran forward and tackled him as gently as possible, ensuring the pistol was knocked free before I apologised to him and knocked him out. Putting a finger to my ear, I requested medical support from Chakwas, hearing her reply that she would join us immediately.

Standing up, I turned to my team. “Fast work, Shepard,” Alenko stated, nodding his appreciation.

“Just what the hell is this Thorian?” Garrus wondered, “How powerful is it?”

“No idea, but these people have probably been exposed since it was found,” Liara replied, “They’re probably all indoctrinated. No wonder Saren was interested in it.”

I strode back and forth a couple of times before turning to my team. “Okay, I was going to suggest we break for the evening, but I’m not sleeping with that Thorian still alive. So we’re heading down now. Anyone not up to it?” No-one replied. “Good. If we run into those creepy green things, do not hesitate. Once we find the Thorian, hopefully we can question it, then we kill it. Anyone disagree with that?”

“Hell no, Shepard. I’m creeped out with it just being below my feet,” Ashley replied.

“While I can understand the scientific aspects, it is clearly a dangerous creature,” Liara added.

“Can we burn it?” Wrex asked.

I couldn’t help laugh, feeling a bit of the tension disappear. “We’ll see, Wrex. I just want the bloody thing dead in the end.”

The Thorian knew we were coming, and we quickly figured out that it was enormous. I mean beyond imagination. I don’t think any of comprehended how such a thing existed, and little wonder that, even if only a plant based creature, it contained such power. We did receive a surprise, though. Instead of running into more of those creepy green creatures, we noticed a series of pods, and from out of one of those was dropped a green skinned asari. She looked across us before her eyes fell on me. I guess the Thorian was reading all of us somehow.

“Invaders! You every step is a transgression. I speak for the Old Growth, as I did for Saren. You are within and before the Thorian. It commands you be in awe!”

“You were an ally of Saren? Peachy.”

“Saren sought knowledge of those who are gone. The Old Growth listened. Trades were made. Then cold ones began killing flesh. The Old Growth will no longer listen!”

“Geth. Fantastic,” Tali muttered.

“Trust geth to fuck it up for us,” I added.

“The Thorian is a piece of this world. You can kill it no more than cut the sky. Your blood will feed the ground and the new growth!”

She shimmered blue, and I was ready to fire, before a warp smashed into her chest and she disappeared over the side. “She talked too much,” Liara stated to the laughter of at least a couple of us.

The next few minutes were insane. We must have descended a half dozen levels, full of those creepy green creatures, and on each level was a green asari clone. We generally dealt with her first, though the times we didn’t, we certainly paid the price, as she was incredibly strong. The creepers were slow moving but strong, eventually all of us switching to shotguns to simply control the battlefield. They spat a toxin whenever they came too close, more than one of us having our shields fail and armour scarred.

As we descended, we recognised the best way to kill the Thorian. It was attached to the ruins by tentacles, so on each level, we blasted away at each node. Whenever we shot it, fluid leaked from the wound and the Thorian made noise, suggesting it was hurting.

It seemed to last forever. I could feel my forehead covered in sweat, dripping down my chest and back. Despite my own fitness, I was feeling the strain. Liara was struggling due to her biotic use. Alenko no doubt had a headache by now. Even Ashley looked worn out and she was nearly as fit as I was. I fired at what I think was the sixth tentacle attachment. When that detached, I heard what sounded like ropes snapping, stepping to the edge in time to see the Thorian simply plummet however many hundred metres below us.

Our attention was then grabbed by a squelching sound, turning with weapons raised as an asari dropped from a pod nearby. She wasn’t green, so while I kept my weapon raised, I gestured for everyone else to lower theirs. “I’m free!” she exclaimed, before her eyes fell on my weapon, then my six colleagues. Any excitement was replaced by concern.

I lowered my weapon slightly before asking, “Who are you?”

“My name is Shiala. I was an acolyte for Matriarch Benezia…”

Wrong answer, or so some of my colleagues figured, as I heard weapons being readied. Shiala took a step back and I knew fear when I saw it. “Weapons down,” I ordered, glancing to see everyone responded immediately.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Commander Shepard. Doubt you’ve heard of me. Alliance Navy and Council Spectre. Now, Matriarch Benezia… Why join Saren?”

“She joined with him to stop him from continuing along his destructive path. But… Saren, and his arguments, are compelling. Benezia could not withstand his influence. We underestimated the strength of Saren's control. We all became believers.”

“How did Benezia fall under his control, almost at will?" asked Liara, "How was it so easy? Benezia is a powerful matriarch. It doesn't make any sense.”

“It's Saren's warship. The one he calls Sovereign. It dominates the mind of his followers. Eventually, all are indoctrinated. It is subtle. Slowly, but surely, everyone must bend to its will.”

“How did you end up in there, Shiala?” I asked, pointing to the sack she'd fallen out of.

Shiala lowered her head. “Saren needed a willing slave to communicate with the Thorian. I was then a chosen sacrifice for the alliance between the Thorian and Saren.”

“What about the geth?”

Shiala tried to stifle a chuckle. “Once Saren had what he needed, he no longer needed the Thorian. He attacked because he knows you need the Cipher. He is aware of your pursuit.”

“I need to know what the Cipher is. Do you know what it is, Shiala?”

“I do. Your contact with the beacon on Eden Prime has given you your vision. No doubt the visions are unclear. To understand these visions, you must think like a Prothean. Understand their existence. The Thorian has been here far longer than before the Protheans even built this city.”

“So what exactly is the Cipher?”

“It's the very essence of being Prothean. You must understand a viewpoint of civilisation rising over generations. The Cipher is that knowledge. It is memory. I sensed this when I merged with the Thorian, our minds intertwining. It cannot be taught.”

I knew what she was going to suggest. Without any other option, after she suggested we meld, I let her do it immediately. Liara and a couple of others raised immediate objections, but while I understood, I needed to understand the vision in my head, assuring Liara we could go through it together back on the _Normandy_. She apologised afterwards if it was uncomfortable, and told me it might take a little time for my mind to sort everything out.

Then it came to what I should do with her. Though she was an acolyte of Matriarch Benezia, she was clearly an unwilling servant to Saren’s desires. “I feel awful about everything that happened here, Commander. And I’m also a little pissed off that I was used as a sacrifice. So I propose two things.”

“And those are?”

“One, I wish to assist you against Saren and his allies, including Matriarch Benezia. She left me here to… well, quite frankly die. Therefore, any bond we may have shared has been severed. I will now serve you until Saren is dead.”

“And Benezia?”

“While I would not wish her death, I do believe it is likely as she is indoctrinated and her surrender is unlikely.”

“And once we stop Saren?”

“I would like to return to this colony and assist them rebuild. I feel responsible for what has happened here, and if they will accept me, I will happily return and remain here to live.”

We headed back upstairs to the colony. It was now dark, not doubt late evening, even early morning. The seven of us were now exhausted, while Shiala seemed to be in a daze. I didn’t really blame here, to be honest. The colonists, plus those we had rescued near ExoGeni Headquarters, were waiting for us. Fai Dan was up and about, his hand now bandaged, thanking me profusely for saving his life, the rest of the colonists thanking my team at the same time.

Introducing Shiala, none of them knew who she actually was, and while we briefly explained the situation, they accepted what happened and would be happy for her to return once we had taken care of Saren. “I’ll be honest, Commander. We need all the help we can get,” Juliana stated, “I’m not sure if ExoGeni will continue funding this place or not with the Thorian now dead, though I’m glad it is.”

“What will you do about ExoGeni?” Lizbeth asked.

“I’m not sure yet. We’ve taken plenty of data. We’ll continue to go through it and figure out what else they are up to. As far as Feros is concerned, you should hopefully be safe going forward. I will leave you my details, and I will also pass information onto the Alliance. Hopefully, if ExoGeni pulls out, the Alliance might be able to provide some assistance.”

With more thanks ringing in our ears, I suggested we head back to the _Normandy_ for a meal and some sleep before we headed off onto the next mission. I introduced Shiala to the crew before we headed down to the mess, where I think we all piled out trays high with food, and bottles of water and electrolyte drinks were consumed fast.

Once we’d stuff ourselves, we sat back together in silence before I said, “Fucking fantastic work, team.” They all looked at me and grinned. Well, I think Garrus did. I could only assume Tali did. “We all survived. Barely any wounds. Saved the colony. Killed the Thorian. Gained a new ally. More information than we really know what to do with. If that’s not a success, I don’t know what is.”

“What do we do next?” Garrus wondered.

“We continue our research into ExoGeni. I want to know what sort of samples they were sending out. And I want to know who or what this Cerberus is. But, for now, take some time for yourself, get some shut eye, and we’ll leave Feros in the afternoon tomorrow.” Glancing at my watch, I added, “Well, later this afternoon, considering it’s now 0200.”

The gang slowly but surely started to break up until I was left alone with Shiala. “Where should I sleep?” she wondered.

“Do you want a pod or a bunk?”

She gave me a look which, I’ll admit, surprised me. Mine probably expressed surprised. “You saved my life, Commander…”

“Shepard.”

“I’m just thinking…”

“Hold that thought, Shiala. If that were to happen, let it happen naturally. I don’t expect payment in that way. I’ll go out on a limb and suggest you were pretty much an innocent victim in all this.”

She looked away. “Thank you, Shepard. For believing me.”

“So… Pod or bunk?”

“I’d rather sleep on a bed. If I sleep in a pod…” She trailed off and shuddered. So I led her to the bunk room, where Ashley and Alenko were already fast asleep. No surprise and didn’t blame them. “Thank you again, Shepard,” Shiala said softly before she leaned up to kiss my cheek.

“No problem.” She returned a small smile before turning, walking into the room to find a free bunk. I grabbed another bottle of water before returning to my quarters, avoiding bed for now, continuing to read over the data we’d retrieved. I was left with a feeling that I wouldn’t only be going to war against Saren and the geth.


	7. Book 1, Chapter 7 - Experimentation

Immediately upon leaving Feros, spending that morning enjoying breakfast with the colonists before departure, I inputted the destination of Nodacrux into the galaxy map. Joker did come on over comm, asking about Noveria, letting him know we had a couple of other assignments I wanted to deal with first before we headed there.

It would take a couple of days to get there, so on the way, I did my usual rounds. Pressly, who was now my XO, actually stopped me and apologised for his previous comments. He’d read my mission reports that I’d sent to the Alliance and the Council, and regretted what he’d said earlier about the non-humans that were now on board the _Normandy_. If I didn’t know any better, he’d taken a real shine to Tali, realising how hard her life must have been but she was still infectiously enthusiastic about everything. He also appreciated the help Liara was trying to provide, and had even spoken with our recent recruit, Shiala. “That is one asari with a broken heart,” he said.

“Imagine being chosen as an unwitting sacrifice by the women you have devoted yourself to. Little wonder she’s feeling a little lost. I think joining us will help clear her mind. She now has a mission and objective she can focus on. My only concern is for when we eventually find Benezia.”

“What will you do, sir?”

“I’d like to take her in for questioning. I think Shiala will want vengeance. Then there is Liara. I know their relationship wasn’t great but Benezia is still her mother. Could Liara handle the fact one of us might kill her?”

“A tough decision, Commander.”

“It is. Between you and I, it is one I’m not particularly looking forward to. And, thank you, Pressly.”

“For what, sir?”

“For changing your opinion and admitting it.”

“We never stop learning nor growing as people, sir. I can admit I was wrong.”

Dinner that night was interesting. Feros was the first major mission we’d shared together since Liara had joined up, and I think there was now a real air of comradery being shared by those who joined me on the ground. I noticed Liara spent a lot of time talking with Shiala, perhaps trying to milk her for information, though I didn’t think that would be a problem. Even Wrex and Garrus, a krogan and a turian who had spent a thousand years hating one another, seemed to be getting along, at least a little bit. I think they avoided politics, Wrex sharing stories of his life as a bounty hunter, Garrus of his life on the Citadel.

Alenko slowly opened up about his life, particularly regarding his time at BAaT, and I’ll admit to feeling nothing by sympathy for him. He didn’t want our pity, just understanding as to why he kept most of his history private, though admitted that it felt better getting much of it off his chest with his close companions. Dealing with her own grief, Ashley spoke of her time with the 212 and the friends she had made during her time with them. She met my eyes and smiled as she spoke. I simply hoped those good memories would help her going forward.

We eventually arrived in orbit around Nodacrux, Joker letting me know before we departed that there was a distress beacon, and that he’d drop us as close to it as possible. Piling into the Mako, I knew conditions would be cramped behind me with yet another person, though no-one complained, as I knew no-one would want to be left behind on the ship.

Upon landing on the planet, one would have seen similarities to Earth. Green pastures as far as the eye could see. Mountains that appeared to touch the sky. Fresh water coated as much of the planet as Earth. It looked and sounded idyllic. Of course, appearances can be deceiving and there was a major reason why no colony was established. Apparently the pollen that was spread across the planet could kill any human within seconds without a helmet. As isolated as the planet was, and the impossible conditions to build a colony, it was the perfect place for a secret lab.

Should have known we’d meet more of those creepy green creatures, no doubt the ‘samples’ sent by ExoGeni to Nodacrux being of the Thorian, and I dreaded to think what the former was up to. Any creepers we came across, I just ran over. No point any of us getting out just yet. The surprise was when we found isolated pre-fabricated units, and the creepers seemed to stick around them. I wasn’t the only one thinking some rather horrible thoughts.

“You reckon those were people?” Garrus asked the question we were all thinking.

“What the hell are ExoGeni up to?” Alenko wondered.

“These fuckers are going to pay,” Ashley growled.

I kept my thoughts to myself for now. The distress beacon was coming from the top of a nearby mountain, which required a search of a road leading up. I finally found one that meant a long drive but at least I wasn’t just climbing up a mountain like a madman. More of those creepers were waiting, Garrus lighting them up with the machine gun. Once they were all dead, we piled out.

“Orders, Shepard?” Alenko asked.

“Kill the green creepy things. If we find humans, we’ll find out what they know.”

Entering the facility, we left our helmets on, just in case, and quickly found that the place was crawling with those creepers. With plenty of narrow corridors, we could use those as chokepoints, all of us now armed with shotguns, having learned on Feros that those worked best against them. Biotics also worked against them, Shiala giving us a glimpse of her power, even Liara making comment that I’d made the right choice in accepting her help.

Once I figured that we’d mopped up all the creepers, we searched the facility for anyone left alive. We eventually found a group of scientists in a barricaded back room. They appeared relieved for a moment before they no doubt saw the looks on some of our faces, and the fact we were still armed and didn’t look like putting them away. One of the scientists stepped forward.

“Thank you for responding to the distress beacon. I am Doctor Ross, chief ExoGeni researcher at this facility. I will admit that we have been trapped in this room for days. We were starting to run short of supplies.”

I gave a signal for my colleagues to holster weapons, though no doubt she noticed my shotgun remained out. “I want answers, Doctor Ross.”

“About what?” she asked cautiously.

“I want to know why Thorian creepers have infested this planet. I want to know exactly what ExoGeni are up to on this planet.”

She couldn’t hide the surprise that crossed her face. “The Thorian? You know about it.”

“I know everything that ExoGeni was up to on Feros. What they were doing to the colonists in Zhu’s Hope. Yes, I know all about it, and that’s why it is now dead.” She sighed, and I could see some of the scientists behind her getting nervous. They knew they were either going to be arrested or shot. “Alenko, take the team, secure the other scientists. Doctor Ross and I will be having a conversation.” Gesturing to a nearby crate, she leaned against it as I told her to come clean about everything.

“The creepers here were created using altered samples from the specimens on Feros. We discovered a way to turn them into docile, obedient servants. Everything was going fine until a few days ago. Then all of the creepers suddenly went berserk. Only a handful of us made it back to the safety of this room.” She paused before adding, “I can only assume that you killing the Thorian severed the link they must have shared.”

Glancing at Alenko, I could see them cuffing the rest. One or two were guards, and they were smart enough not to resist. I could see Ashley stalking around, looking very pissed off. I think Shiala would have happily slaughtered them all. “What you’ve done here, Doctor… Were there any human subjects?”

“No. The creepers are not infected humans.”

“That’s something at least.”

“Look… I know what we did was wrong. I’ll admit that. But it’s over now. There’s no sense in reporting this to the authorities, right?” To my amusement, she stepped forward, running a hand down my arm. “Maybe there is some way we could work this out between us.”

I met her eyes and, I’ll admit, nearly laughed in her face. “You’re serious?”

“I know who you are,” she replied before adding quietly, “Commander Shepard. Your reputation precedes you.”

“Then you should know what sort of man I am. I’m certainly not going to be bribed.” I looked her up and down. “Despite the fact part of me would like to fuck your brains out.” I’ll admit, if she was just a regular scientist, I wouldn’t have said no. She was certainly attractive.

“But you won’t?”

I quickly grabbed her wrist and spun her round, leaning her against the crate, pressing against her. Leaning down to her ear, I whispered, “You should be glad I’m not a complete arsehole and thinking of doing something else entirely.” She would have felt the clasps around her wrists. “No, you are simply under arrest, Doctor Ross. Be glad I’m not like most other Spectres. They would have simply put a bullet in your head.” Looking across the room, I located Tali. “Download everything you can find. I want a full report for when I hand her in to the Alliance.”

“Right away, Shepard.”

Once Tali announced she had everything we needed, we escorted the survivors out of the facility and board the _Normandy_ once it was in position. Leaving the scientists in the brig, I headed to the conference room and contacted the Alliance, sending them all the information we could find. Letting them know we had prisoners, they instructed me to head to Arcturus to hand them over.

“Did she hit on you, Shepard?” Wrex asked over dinner later.

“That she did.”

The krogan burst into laughter. “What is it with you and women?”

“No idea, to be honest.”

“Well, for a human, he is rather handsome,” Shiala stated. I just met her eyes and she met mine. She didn’t blush when I met her gaze. In fact, her eyes told me one thing, and one thing only. It was my turn to gulp as there were titters of amusement.

“Where are we heading after Arcturus?” Ashley wondered.

“A planet called Chasca. From the data Tali managed to get for us on Feros, ExoGeni were sending more samples to a facility there, though they were sending them to a group called Cerberus.”

“Heard of them,” Alenko stated, “Some sort of pro-human organisation.”

“They’re terrorists,” Garrus added, “C-Sec have investigated their activities more than once. Could never find concrete evidence they were working on the Citadel, but I always had a… gut feeling they were.”

I nodded my agreement. “That’s what the Alliance think too. They work in the shadows though. Highly secretive. No-one knows much about their organisation at all. Apparently led by someone called the Illusive Man.”

That made Ashley laugh. “Seriously? The Illusive Man?”

Shrugging, I replied. “I don’t think anyone knows who he really is. There are rumours they’ve bought members of the Alliance Parliament and military though. Some even believe the organisation developed from Alliance black operations.”

The group split up after dinner as it was time to finally relax after another hard mission. One or two headed to the med-bay for a quick check up but most headed to their personal quarters or simply straight to bed. Considering we were now on our way to Arcturus, it was a good time to catch up on sleep.

Sitting at my desk in my quarters, the knock on my door wasn’t a real surprise, calling for whoever it was to enter. Shiala wandered in, immediately locking the door once she was inside. Turning my chair to face her, she strode towards me before sitting on my lap, leaning down to kiss me without hesitation. I couldn’t help reply, hands immediately going to her back, running one down to her rather fine arse. Not breaking the kiss, I slowly stood up, feeling her legs wrap around me as I moved us to the bed, gently lying her down as we ended up in the middle.

Finally breaking the kiss, now she started to blush when I looked at her. “Been wanting to do that for a while,” she said quietly.

“Why?”

“You saved me, Shepard. And you believed me. I think anyone else would have just shot me.” She reached up to caress my cheek. “And I wasn’t lying. You are very handsome.”

“Have you ever been with a human?”

“No, though I know all about you.”

“Me human or me Shepard?”

I think she looked away in embarrassment. “Well, both,” she whispered, “I may have done some research.”

I sat up on my knees and looked her over. Her skin colour was different to Liara, more purple than blue. I as aware that asari came in a range of colours, just like humans. I leaned down and grabbed the zip of her leathers, undoing them to free her breasts, which were larger than expected, watching her quickly remove her arms before I undid the zip all the way down to her sex. We quickly removed them from her legs so she was lying naked beneath me.

She was utterly gorgeous. Very fit. I drank her body in and I could see she was now either a little nervous, or a little shy. I leaned down to give her a soft kiss. “For someone so confident when she strode in, Shiala,” I whispered.

“I’ve never been with a human,” she admitted.

“Do you know what we look like underneath our clothes?”

“Only what I’ve seen on the extranet.”

I grabbed her hand and stood her up. She wasn’t tall once out of her clothes, barely as tall as my chin. She took her time undressing me, taking off my coat first as I kicked off my boots and socked. When she helped unbutton my shirt, she ran her hands over my chest and back before resting her hand on my chest. “You feel so warm, Shepard,” she stated with a giggle.

“Well, I suppose that’s a good thing.”

Grasping my belt, she undid that before helping unbutton then unzip my trousers, those falling to the ground, before my underwear also disappeared, so we were now standing together naked. She took a step back to look me up and down. “Very different to asari,” she muttered.

“In a good way, I hope?”

She stepped forward, her hands immediately caressing my body, her eyes looking up to meet mine. “I will admit I’ve always wondered about humans. I know many asari were intrigued by turians when they arrived on the scene, then when the krogan were discovered. But their males are very different to… you. And I will say in a very good way.” I felt her hand grasp my cock. “My god, Shepard…”

“So you’ve never been with someone like me?” She shook her head. “Then I guess we should take our time.” The smile was so heart-warming, I could only return it, leaning down to give her a soft kiss. “Trust me, Shiala, this will be a night to remember for both of us.”

Resting her back on the bed, I leaned down to kiss her but there was no missing the fact she spread her legs wide, so I thought I’d take a chance and gently play with her sex. She was rather wet already, both of us smiling as we continued to kiss, my fingers gently playing with her as she reached down to grab my cock, learning rather quickly not to grab too tightly and jerk it gently to get the required reaction.

“God,” I moaned quietly, needing to break the kiss.

“Shepard,” she breathed.

“I want to taste you,” I whispered. That earned an immediate smile, again quite shy. “What?” I asked gently.

“I thought… I thought you’d just want…” She trailed off, looking away again.

Using a finger, I made her look back into my eyes. “Shiala, trust me on this one. I love doing it.”

After kissing her again, I kissed down her body, first her neck, earning a gasp when I may have given her a gentle bite before moving down her body. Her breasts were perfect, the same colour as her skin, her nipples a darker shade of purple. I definitely spent plenty of time appreciating those with my mouth as I continued to fondle her sex. Feeling her hand run around the back of my head, I knew she was enjoying what I was doing at least, her breathing and the moaning of my name confirming it.

Her body was fantastic, loving kissing down her stomach, flat but not overly toned, no doubting she was athletic and a fellow warrior. I avoided her sex, earning another groan, this time of frustration, kissing down her thighs, before I kissed back up towards her sex. “Please, Shepard,” she whispered.

“Please what?” I asked, placing my head between her legs, making her look down.

Her eyes, when they met mine, were wild with desire and lust. Just the way I liked it. “Please use your mouth on me. I’m going to cum _really_ hard in about two minutes!”

I figured I should stop teasing, so I used my mouth on her, enjoying her taste immediately. I loved eating out any woman I was with, but due to my… tastes… no, that’s the wrong word. Anyway, it was something I didn’t get to do too often until recently. Spreading her legs wider, my mouth and tongue were working overdrive on her pussy, feeling her press down into my mouth, as she begged me to make her cum. The sort of begging that made me even harder as I knew she was completely turned on.

I could have used my fingers, but I didn’t want to. This time, I was going to make her cum with my tongue. I’d teased her enough by now so stated to flick her clit. That earned a loud moan that would have echoed through the ship. She begged me to do it again and again, and I was soon completely focused on that. She came hard a couple of minutes later, the sort of orgasm that caused her thighs to practically clamp my head in place, and if it wasn’t for the fact I could breathe through my nose, I would have suffocated. I didn’t stop either, continuing to please her. I think she wanted me to stop, but before she could ask, her second orgasm followed as quickly as her first finished. I couldn’t help chuckle as she lay back, her thighs continuing to hold me in place.

“Oh goddess, Shepard,” she cried. Her body continued to shake and shudder as I didn’t stop. “Oh goddess…” I think she nearly started to cry. “Please stop. I don’t want you to, but please stop…”

I stopped as soon as she asked, feeling her release my head so I could at least rest on my forearms. She placed her feet on the bed, watching her take in a series of deep breaths before she looked down towards me. Her face said only one thing, kissing up her body, feeling her shudder as I assumed she was still rather sensitive, before I kissed her lips. “How the fuck…” she started to ask.

“Well, you’re not too different to humans regarding that,” I stated. That made her chuckle. “And I think you needed that.”

She blinked rapidly before kissing me hard. “I’ve gone so long without being intimate… I couldn’t as an acolyte. We had to be dedicated to the cause.”

“Is it too much? We can…”

She kissed me again, feeling her arms and legs wrap around me. “No!” she shouted, before she started to giggle. “Oops. I mean…”

“You’ve never been with a man?” She shook her head, again blushing as she looked away. “But you know what happens next?”

Now she met my eyes, a small smile on her face. God, she looked utterly beautiful in that moment. “I know, Shepard,” she whispered, “From the moment you rescued me, it’s all I’ve thought about.” I’m sure my face no doubt showed surprise. “As I said, I’ve done my research. You’re a good man, Shepard. A great man. And that is why I wanted to be here with you right now.”

“Before we…” I sighed. There was no right way to ask the question. Thankfully she saved me, laughing away first.

“It’s just sex, Shepard. That’s all I want right now. We can make love tonight, and tomorrow we continue as before. If you want this to happen again, I certainly won’t complain. I’m not expecting commitment. You have Saren to deal with. I know, once this is over, I will return to Zhu’s Hope. Sex and love can be separated, as I’m sure you know. But there can also be sex and intimacy with affection, that doesn’t need to involve love. Do you know what I mean?”

I kissed her as I placed the head of my cock at her entrance, earning a small gasp. “I know what you mean,” I said softly.

“Once you’re inside me, Shepard, I know I probably won’t want anyone else.”

“But you just said…”

“I know what I said.” She caressed my cheek again. “You saved me,” she whispered before running her hand down to my arse, giving it a squeeze before I gently slid inside her. I took my time giving her my entire length, but once I was buried, she immediately wrapped her legs around me. Resting her head back, she started to giggle again, though I noticed… I leaned down to kiss her cheeks. “It’s okay, Shepard. Just a big moment.”

“Are you okay?” I just didn’t want to even think I’d hurt her.

“Goddess, yes. I’m already wishing we’d discovered you a few thousand years ago!”

That made us both laugh as I gently started to thrust into her. She learned rather quickly what she liked, adjusting her body and also her legs, feeling her hands run up and down my back, appreciating the muscles across my upper back and shoulders. Otherwise, we continued to make out, only breaking apart when we needed to breath, moan or whisper sweet nothings to each other. There was no doubt we already liked each other quite a bit. She was gorgeous, and she’d already told me I was handsome, so it was a good match.

“Shepard,” she breathed as I soon picked up the tempo. I’ll admit, I wasn’t going to last a lot longer. She was rather tight and felt fantastic.

“Shiala, not much longer.”

“I’ve never felt a man cum in me,” she whispered.

That was a suggestion as she wrapped her hands and legs tightly around me. “Hold on,” I stated into her ear, hearing another giggle as I stated to thrust into her harder and faster. Hearing her moan into my ear was a complete turn on, and when I felt her pussy start to squeeze my cock, that was a complete surprise. I never expected…

“Shepard!” she cried, feeling her shudder as she squeezed her arms tighter, “Goddess, how…. How is this…”

“Won’t last…” I started to say.

We both shut up as I was now pounding her as she recovered from her orgasm. I think she was now rather emotional, not crying, but there was no doubting the connection. I breathed her name as I thrust into a final time before unloading. She squeezed me even tighter if possible before I buried myself and rested, Shiala still wrapped tightly to my body though resting hers on the bed. My forearms on the bed, there’s no doubting we were coated in sweat and various other bodily fluids. Feeling her finally release me, I rested on my forearms as our eyes met.

“Is it always like that?” she asked.

I’ll admit to feeling a little embarrassed. I’d certainly made an effort with her. Not to say I didn’t with my lovers, but I wanted her first time to be somewhat memorable. “If you’re with the right lover, every time is great. Just remember, sometimes the sex is enough. It doesn’t need an orgasm to make that connection with someone.” I stopped before adding, “But I love making my partner cum regardless.”

Lying on the bed together, I lay on my side as she spooned into my body, snuggling into me, mentioning we should have a shower soon. I felt rather tired so suggested we should have a shower sooner rather than later. Finding myself dragged into my small bathroom, we cuddled under the hot water. “You make me feel safe already, Shepard,” she said softly, feeling her fingers dig into my back.

“How do you mean?”

“To Benezia, I was always a tool to be used. I could understand why at the time, but even after that, I was never left feeling that she ever cared about any of us. I was left no choice regarding the Thorian. It was simply something I was expected to do. Trust me, it wasn’t a choice. In the past couple of days with you, I already feel that my opinion is validated, that I can tell you what I think or feel, and that you will listen to me, take it into account, before making your decision.”

I lifted her chin so her eyes met mine. “I will never sacrifice you, Shiala,” I whispered earnestly.

That just made her lip quiver before she kissed me with as much passion as I’d ever received, eventually pressing her body against the side of the shower. “I will be by your side until the end,” she whispered upon breaking the kiss, “Until we beat that bastard Saren.”

After drying each other down, which seemed more intimate than anything we’d done before as we spent most of the time kissing and caressing each other, I took her by the hand and led her back to my bed. I’m not sure if she was expecting me to kick her out, but once she rested against my body, I heard her sigh deeply, shuffling back against my body again. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“For what?” I wondered.

“For caring.” I leaned forward to kiss her cheek. I’m sure I heard her sniffle, but I didn’t question. I think everything we’d just shared was a big deal to her. “Shepard?” she whispered a little later.

“Yeah?”

“Can we do this again?”

“Definitely, Shiala.”

I sensed she smiled before I felt her settle down and she fell asleep. I kissed her cheek again before I felt myself relax, continuing to hold her. She was a lovely young woman. I called asari women because, quite frankly, they were, biologically at least. Anyway, we’d made a connection and I’d fight hard to make sure it wasn’t broken.

Waking in the morning, she was still asleep as I kissed her softly on the shoulder before moving up to her cheek. That made her giggle as she swapped onto her other side to kiss me properly. “Well, I don’t mind waking up like that,” she said softly.

“And I don’t mind waking up next to you. But we’d better get up so we can have breakfast.”

“What about…” she started to ask before trailing off.

“Never mind what they think. And I know they will be careful about what they say.”

She got up first, and I watched her put on her leathers. By god, her body was fantastic, and she definitely appreciated me watching. As she put on her boots, I got up and quickly put on my uniform, only a shirt and trousers, plus my boots. Once we were ready, she wandered out first, following her out into the mess. Nearly everyone else was already sitting, eating breakfast, noticing the silence as Shiala walked out first, grabbing a tray, piling up some food, before we joined the others.

No-one said anything for at least a couple of minutes. I simply ate without a care in the world. I could see Shiala was nervous, barely able to eat a bite. I finally reached across to grab her free hand. “We did nothing wrong, Shiala,” I stated, loud enough for everyone to hear. She smiled, but the rapid blinking I think was also a sense of relief.

Wrex simply burst into laughter, slapping the table. “You do work fast, Shepard!”

“Spirits, I wish I had your luck,” Garrus muttered.

“Nothing to do with luck, Garrus. Have you spoken to that doctor since we rescued her?” He shook his head. “Well, I think you might need to.”

“I wouldn’t know what to say.”

“You don’t need to say anything. Just ask her out. If she says yes, fantastic. If she says no, then you move on.”

“So you two…” Liara trailed off, looking between Shiala and I.

“Yes, Liara?” I asked.

“She spent the night in your quarters, Shepard?” Alenko wondered.

“She did. Why are you asking?”

“No reason. Simply curiosity.”

I met everyone else in the eyes. Liara and Ashley simply met mine before looking away, while I think Tali was more amused than anything. “Have a good time?” she finally asked.

“Sure. Sex is always fantastic, Tali.”

“Keelah, can’t wait to find out one day, Shepard!”

Wrex burst into laughter, slapping the table again. “You are going to corrupt at least one woman on this trip, Shepard!”

“Look, I’m trapped in this suit, Wrex. All I can do is simply fantasise about… well, it.”

Wrex stopped laughing and nodded. “I see what you mean, little one.” He paused before asking, “But why stop at just fantasising?”

I thought the question would have made her uncomfortable. Instead, she replied, “While I want to feel the touch of another person, whether quarian, human, asari or otherwise, to just feel that would require… To be honest, I’m not really sure, Wrex. But just exposure to the air you all breathe could cause me to feel seriously ill.”

“Bet you two are jealous,” Garrus stated, no doubt meaning Ashley and Liara. I just groaned as Wrex burst into laughter again. “What? I mean, I’m usually oblivious to most things but even I can see it.”

“Leave it, Garrus,” Liara stated.

“Be glad I don’t have a knife,” Ashley muttered. The eyes of the turian widened and I’m sure he gulped, probably feeling a little fear. “Yeah, that’s right. Something you like would find itself detached.”

“Harsh, Ashley. Harsh, but fair. And fucking funny!” Wrex exclaimed. I couldn’t help chuckle.

“You’re just a bad influence, Wrex!” Tali added with a giggle of her own.

“Looks, I’m the oldest here by a good few hundred years. I’ve seen a lot of shit go down. Watching all this drama play out is simply humorous to someone as old as I am. It’s clear the Commander likes company. And, sorry ladies, but it’s also clear that you all like the Commander. Even you, lady doctor.” I glanced to see Chakwas blush, which was a little surprise. “So while I understand all your rules and regulations, or the fact you’re worried about this or that, let me give you some advice. I’m old enough to have lived through some bad shit. And when something good comes alone, grab onto it and enjoy it. If it happens once, remember that at least it happened. If it happens more than once, then by the gods, hope it happens again and again.” He then looked at me. “Shepard, I’m going to be blunt. There are at least four females at this table who want to fuck you. I could name them, but I’m not a complete arse, so I won’t name them.”

“I don’t think you need to as it’s rather obvious,” Alenko stated, and I heard the humour in his tone, “Got to say, Commander, anyone else would feel put out because of it.”

I shrugged helplessly before clearing my throat, “Um, I think we have a mission or two to worry about.”

“Nice deflection, Shepard, but I know I’m right. You won’t even have to play your cards right. If you wanted, you won’t go to bed alone,” Wrex stated, “Even my little friend wants your company.”

“Wrex!” Tali exclaimed to the amusement of everyone. I glanced her way and she at least met my eyes from behind her mask. She simply shrugged. “I do wonder, Shepard. I can admit it, at least.” She then paused before looking at Shiala. “What was it like?” she asked not so quietly.

“He made me cum really hard,” Shiala replied, Wrex slapping the table as he laughed again, “More than once!”

I finished up my breakfast quickly before standing up and leaving as Shiala thought then would be the best time to go into detail about what we had done. I didn’t blame her. Considering I was her first male, I could understand why. But I felt more than one pair of eyes on my back as I headed back to my quarters.

Thankfully we had a distraction as we found ourselves in the Matano system, looking for the planet of Chasca. It was another ExoGeni lead, and after what we’d found on Nodacrux, I could only imagine what we were going to find on another planet. Considering this Cerberus organisation was also involved, it would either be for better or worse.

Once we reached orbit, the immediate concern was that the colony below appeared to be silent. Normally we’d receive some sort of signal, either simply to communicate with us or we would receive a message or messages about the status of the colony. I felt a chill down my spine, as if the colony was already dead. I ordered everyone to the garage. We probably wouldn’t need a full team, but unless I already knew what was on the ground, I was going to take everyone.

We dropped in the Mako around half an hour later. From what I’d gathered about the world, only sections would ever be inhabitable, the planet being tidally locked to its moon, meaning one side was unbearably hot, the other freezing cold, with only a slither of habitable land. Why anyone would think it was worth actually living on beggared belief.

“I’ve got nothing on comms, Shepard,” Tali reported, “But I have three possibilities. One is to the south, about one click. One to the south, around two. Then a third to the west at around five.”

“Might as well just go with the closest and work our way out. Let’s just be prepared for…” I sighed. “I don’t even want to contemplate to be honest.”

Heading to the first structure to the south, we parked up the Mako and headed inside. It appeared to be some sort of science facility, heading inside to find it infested with husks. As we mowed them down, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one to have a bad feeling start to bubble up in their gut. We didn’t find any sort of research station nor terminal we could gather information. Wandering back outside, Ashley grabbed my attention as we noticed the dragons’ teeth, the same we’d seen on Eden Prime. I noticed her shudder. “This is wrong, Shepard,” she muttered.

“We’ll deal with it, Ash,” I assured her.

We headed to the northern structure. Much like the first, it was infested with husks. We already knew how to deal with them by now, but we all realised that by killing them, we were killing what were once humans. And if the nugget in my gut was correct, they used to be colonists. We’d passed more than one pre-fab to realise that some people had been trying to make a life for themselves. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one to walk out of the structure a little pissed off.

In silence, we headed to the third and final destination. Approaching it, more husks seemed to swarm towards us. I brought the Mako to a halt, ordering Garrus to open fire as the rest of us piled out. Once the husks were dealt with, I gathered the team. “Tali, Alenko, anyone else with knowledge. Find out anything you can about ExoGeni, Cerberus or whoever else is involved with what’s going on here. I have a bad feeling about what we’re going to find out but… I hope I’m wrong.”

Much like the first two structures, the third was full of husks. But so many more than the first two, I think we almost hesitated killing them by the end. There was nothing that could be done for them, they were already dead, but the dragons’ teeth around told us everything we needed to know. Once the husks were dead, we searched for information, and even I would admit to being shocked when we found clothing. Not just adults, but… children… What were these people capable of?

Ashley found the same, and that’s what made her break, hearing her apologise as she dashed to the exit. Alenko met my eyes, nodded, and followed after her. Garrus walked to my side. “I really didn’t think…”

“Humans can be complete and utter cunts, Garrus. And, to be honest, we love killing each other more than killing others. Have a whole lot of experience in the former.”

“But children?”

“Means nothing to organisations like ExoGeni and Cerberus. All that matters is progress, no matter the cost.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“Report it to the Alliance. But I will be having words with someone we currently hold on the ship.”

That wasn’t the end of it though. I found an office where they had apparently been recording the experiments they’d been carrying out. The Cerberus name and logo was everywhere. No-one was dumb enough to say their name, but it was obvious who they were working for. What I saw was… horrific. In fact, even that doesn’t describe the horror I watched unfold. I waved away anyone else who was even intrigued as to what I watched. I could watch it alone and live with it, knowing I would get vengeance for all those that suffered.

After gathering all the information we could get, including the list of colonists that may have once inhabited the planet, we ended up back on the _Normandy_, instructing Joker to return us to the Citadel immediately, requesting Alliance representatives meet us there. I was quickly told the Alliance office on the Citadel would help us out regarding any issues going forward.

On our way back to the Citadel, the mess was quiet that evening. Even Wrex didn’t crack many jokes, most heading off by themselves once their trays were cleared. Once I was alone, I requested that Doctor Ross be brought to the interrogation room for questioning. I waited for her arrival, two guards bringing her in, placing her in the seat opposite, before I dismissed them. She appeared to be in good health though no doubt intrigued as to why she’d been summoned.

“Just visited a rather interesting world,” I stated.

“Which one?”

“Little planet by the name of Chasca. Ever heard of it?” She said nothing. I knew she’d probably heard of it. It might have been operated by Cerberus, but ExoGeni’s name was all over it too. “Deny it all you want but I doubt you didn’t know what was going on.”

“Cerberus?” she asked quietly.

I slapped the table with my palm. “What do you know?” I shouted.

“Nothing!” she cried.

I stood up, kicking my chair back as I rounded the table. The fear in my eyes… It excited me at that moment. Grabbing her by the collar, I hauled her out of the chair, leaning her back over the table. “Bullshit!” I roared, “People like you always have the fucking answers. All through history, all people like you did deny. ‘Oh, we were only following orders!’ Bullshit!”

“I swear I don’t know!” she whimpered, no doubt now fearing for her life. I held her collar with my left hand as I held her throat with my right. I met her eyes and I could see, almost taste the fear, as I gently squeezed. “Please, Shepard,” she pleaded softly, “I didn’t know… I’m a scientist trying to help humanity, not kill it!”

I squeezed for another couple of seconds before I relented. I placed her back in her seat before placing my left forearm around her neck, holding my right arm in front of her. “I’m going to play you some footage, Ross. Let’s see what you think of it.”

Pressing play, I showed her what we’d found on Chasca. The colonists that were… That were impaled on the spikes. Butchered like they were nothing. Turned into creatures most of us wouldn’t see in our worst nightmares. Men, women and children, all sacrificed in the so-called name of progress. I made her watch until she simply couldn’t take anymore, begging me to stop showing her. “I never did anything like that,” she cried softly between her tears. Part of me empathised and believed her. We hadn’t found anything like that on Nodacrux, but she was still ExoGeni, she was still one of them.

Switching off my omni-tool, she stood up and cried on my shoulder. I wrapped an arm around her waist and simply let her get it off her chest. I believed her now as it was such a genuine reaction. When she finally stopped and she was simply shaking from all the emotion, I gave her a gentle squeeze. I was still human.

“God, I can’t believe…”

“That is the sort of people you work for.”

“I thought we doing good. I thought we were helping our progress. I never believed we would…”

I could hear how heartbroken she was in her tone. I believed showing her that video had broken the trust she may have once had. I leaned back as she did, seeing her look at me with tear stained cheeks. I used a thumb to clear her right cheek. “Work for the Alliance,” I suggested.

“But they don’t… They don’t give the freedom…”

“But look at what happens when left unchecked. The Alliance has their faults, but they would never, and I mean _never,_ sacrifice human lives like you’ve just seen. Can you look at yourself in the mirror again if you were to work for ExoGeni?” She shook her head. I leaned against the desk. “I’ll make you a deal, Ross. I’ve already figured out you’re quite intelligent. So if you give me your word that you’ll assist the Alliance, I’ll see what I can do about getting some of the charges dropped.”

“You’re serious?”

“All you need do is write a confession plus cutting all ties with ExoGeni.”

“They’ll send people after me.”

“So I’ll protect you.”

That earned a smile. “You can’t protect me all the time.”

“Perhaps not. But the reaction you just had told me everything I need to know about you. You’re not evil, perhaps misguided. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I believe you intended good, you just underestimated the people you worked for.”

She took a few moments before taking a deep breath. “Okay, Shepard, you have a deal.”

“Good. Want a better night’s sleep?” She looked up quizzically. “You can take a bunk if you want.”

“What about the others?”

“Honestly, I don’t give a shit about them. Worthy sacrifices if you work with us.”

She didn’t think before saying, “I can live with that.” I was ready to just leave when she grabbed my hand. “I wasn’t lying about my offer, Shepard.”

“What offer?”

“Before, when we first met. When you thought I was bribing you. I wasn’t lying.”

I looked around before asking, “Are you serious?”

“I still am.” She leaned back in her chair and unzipped the front of her top, showing her rather full chest. Her skin was pale but unblemished. “I’m just wondering if you’re interested.”

I picked her up and swung her around so she sat on the table, immediately kissing her, feeling her hands fumble at my belt and trousers as I returned the favour. My trousers dropped rather quickly, as did my underwear, feeling her fingers wrap around my cock. “My god, Shepard, how big are you?”

“Big enough,” I muttered, before resuming the kiss.

Once I had her trousers and panties removed, I started to feel her up, only slightly surprised she was already wet, feeling and hearing her moan into my mouth as I wasted little time lining my cock up with her entrance. Breaking the kiss, she rested her forehead against mine. “Just fuck me, Shepard. That’s all I want.”

“Someone’s eager,” I retorted with a chuckle.

“Trust me, I didn’t get fucked working with them. It’s been a long time.”

“Someone as cute as you, should be a crime.”

“Doesn’t help that most of the scientists I work with are either dickless, figuratively speaking, or certainly lack compared to someone like you.”

I gently slid my cock inside her, feeling her legs wrap around me once I’d buried myself. Then I fucked her, the doctor holding on for dear life as I pounded her pussy for all I was worth. Our lips rarely parted, left feeling she was needing some sort of human connection as we coupled, whenever not kissing, our heads always touching, our eyes rarely looking away.

"They have camera’s in here?” she asked.

“Yep.”

She smiled. “So someone will be watching?”

“Probably, but I don’t give a shit. I’m the CO. What are they going to do?”

I licked my thumb and moved it down her body so I could gently play with her clit. That gained the desired reaction, her mouth now desperate for mine, simply to stifle her moans, feeling her pussy clinch my cock. We were both now rather turned on, racing towards our orgasm. I wanted to make her cum first. I’d walked in thinking, if this happened, I’d have just fucked her and been done with it, but after our conversation, I now wanted us both to enjoy it.

“Fuck, Shepard,” she moaned loudly upon breaking the kiss.

“Having fun?”

“God, I’m going to cum so hard in a second.”

“Loving my cock?”

“I haven’t had one this long and thick in… forever.” She looped both her arms around my neck. “Fuck me harder.”

So that’s what I did, really giving it to her in addition to fondling her clit. She lasted a couple of minutes at most before she came. And I mean she came hard, the sort of orgasm that leaves a woman a sweaty, quivering mess, unable to put together a sentence, nor stand up straight as their legs would probably give out. She begged me to keep fucking her though, holding onto my body until I finally finished inside her, so we rested against each other, breathing deeply, unable to do anything else as we’d probably collapse if we tried.

“Well, glad we did that,” she finally muttered.

“You and me both. Though you were rather attractive at the start, except for the whole… you know…”

I pulled out, surprised when she gently pushed me back and dropped to the floor, taking my cock in her mouth, looking up at me. She smiled as she said, “As I said, Commander, I’m very appreciative.”

“I won’t cum again anytime soon.”

“Oh, I’m just cleaning you up before you escort me out of here.” And that’s what she did, standing up a couple of minutes later as we made ourselves presentable. I escorted her to the door, knocking on it, the two guards opening it seconds later.

“Doctor Ross is no longer a prisoner. She is to be treated as part of the crew until our arrival on the Citadel. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

Before she left, I had to ask, “After all that, I don’t even know your first name.”

She offered her hand. “My name is Natasha, Commander.”

“Well, I think I should say that, after everything, it’s been nice to make your acquaintance, Natasha.”

“Yours too, Shepard. And I must ask that you don’t remain a stranger once you’ve handed me over.”

“Next time, I’ll get you completely naked.”

“Next time?”

I couldn’t help smirk. “Well, if you don’t want…”

She grabbed my collar and dragged me down to kiss her, feeling a hand wrap around the back of my head. Her tongue explored my mouth, pressing her against the door, hearing her whimper before we finally broke apart. “You’d better visit me, Shepard. And I want an entire night with you next time. If you’d like that…”

“If it starts off with a kiss like that.”

She smiled before I opened the door. “I’ll come grab you before we make the Citadel, keep you separate from the others.”

“Thank you for trusting in me, Shepard.”

“Just don’t disappoint me, Natasha.”

“I won’t. I give you my word on that.”

Arriving at the Citadel the next day, I’d already received plenty of questions as to why she was had been allowed out of her cell and uncuffed. I’d keep most if to myself until I was standing in front of a pair of Alliance representatives. “This is Doctor Natasha Ross. While she was arrested on the planet of Nodacrux, she is willing to work for the Alliance in trade for any information she can provide in regards to ExoGeni and Cerberus.”

“Is that correct, Doctor Ross?” one of the reps asked.

“What Commander Shepard says is correct. I am willing to work with the Alliance, in particular in regard to the avenues of research I may have been involved in.” She looked at me. “Though I will admit we may have travelled down avenues that even I can admit I was uncomfortable doing.”

“Very well. Commander Shepard, the other scientists?”

“They are to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

“Very well. Doctor Ross, you can come with us for now. We have plenty of our own questions we would like to ask before letting you loose in any of our facilities. Commander Shepard, can we expect your report soon?”

“Already on its way.”

“Thank you. Doctor Ross…”

She looked back at me with a smile before the two reps escorted her away. My team was gathered around watching. Only when she was out of earshot did Wrex ask, or stated, “Bloody hell, Shepard, you didn’t fuck her too, did you?”

I couldn’t help laugh away as we walked off towards the Wards.


	8. Book 1, Chapter 8 - Blast from the Past

We’d been on the Citadel for a day, and I was ready to order us back to the _Normandy_ to move onto the next assignment when my world took a bizarre turn. Chora’s Den didn’t take long to reopen, and as it had proven to be a rather popular place to gather for drinks, and definitely to gain information, our team had chosen to head there for a few drinks. I was surprised the likes of Ashley agreed, though she said that, having been out with her friends from the 212 often enough, the sight of breasts nearby didn’t faze her at all.

It was while we were walking towards the club that my world may have turned upside down, if I gave a shit, that is. Once he called out my name and our eyes met, I remembered him. One of my foot soldiers from when I ran with the Reds back on Earth. Well, not when I ran with. When I ran them. I simply wondered what he wanted, and more importantly, what he was doing on the Citadel.

“They told me it was you, but I didn’t believe it. Shepard grew up and turned into a soldier.”

I didn’t recognise him straight away simply because it had been over a decade at least since I’d seen anyone from that time. Add to that, anyone I did know would now be an adult, and people definitely change over the course of a decade. “Who are you and why are you in my way?”

Leaning against the wall as he was, no doubt my abrupt manner riled him. He probably thought he was important to me. No-one from that time was. They were… a means to an end. Standing straight, he looked me in the eyes at least. “Name’s Finch. Not surprised by the fact you don’t remember me. Doubt you remember anyone. But I do remember that you ran the Tenth Street Reds.” He smirked. “Yeah, doubt you’ll say anything about that now. None of the vids that come out about the ‘Heroic Commander Shepard’ make mention of the fact he ran with a gang back on Earth.”

I shrugged. “Most people, at least those important to me, know my past. I’m not ashamed of what I did. Call it a learning experience. You’re obviously here for a reason, Finch. Spill it.”

“Or I could just shoot him, Shepard,” Wrex stated.

I gestured. “No, we won’t do that just yet, Wrex. Call me intrigued.”

“One of the Reds, Curt Weisman, got picked up by the turians. We’d like you to talk to the turian guard in the bar and get Curt out.”

I’ll admit, I laughed in his face. “What the fuck makes you think I’ll agree to helping you out?”

“Laugh now, Shepard, but don’t forget that, at one time, you were one of us. A Tenth Street Red. You weren’t just one of us, you loved us. You led us. Some of those kids have now grown up and still wear the badge and colours. But now they look at the vids and wonder who you really were.”

“I led you until the day a better opportunity came along.”

“So we were what, a stepping stone?”

I shrugged. “If you want to see it that way.”

“Should have known you were never true. But still, I’m sure there’s an allegiance somewhere within. So what’ll it be, Shepard? You going to help out a brother?”

I glanced back at my team, smirked, before I turned back towards Finch. “Of course, Finch!” I exclaimed, before I clocked him across the jaw. I didn’t quite knock him out, but he certainly went down like a sack of spuds. Crouching down next to him as he spat out some blood, I could only add, “You are seriously fucking stupid for approaching me like this.”

“You’re going down, Shepard. Do your alien friends know what you’re like? Fucking alien lover.”

I hit him again, almost knocked him out before I stood up and dragged him up with me. “Maybe. Maybe not. But the Reds I remember running with didn’t talk like that. Sure, we committed crimes, but we were not hateful. We simply survived, doing the best we could each day. If you’re now involved in other things, then I’m glad I left.”

“You always were a soft cunt,” he exclaimed.

That earned him a headbutt into the face, which definitely knocked him out. As we were near Chora’s Den, I figured that might relate to why Finch was hanging around, so I headed inside, carrying his unconscious body. I was eventually approached by a turian guard, who asked who he was. “Well, I’m Commander Shepard…”

“I know who you are, Commander.”

“Oh, good. Well, in that case, this unconscious gentleman goes by the name of Finch. Before he ended up unconscious, he was trying to bribe me into having someone by the name of Curt Weisman released?”

“Weisman? Why the hell… Do you know what he’s in for, Commander?”

“No.”

“He’s a xenophobe of the worst kind. We caught him trying to poison medical supplies that, if we hadn’t caught him, would have ended up killing millions of turians.”

“Where did you catch him?”

“Turian space. One of our colony worlds.”

“Shit, I had no idea they had changed so much.” I flung Finch to the floor. “Though I would dearly love to kill this worthless sack of shit, I think a lifetime behind bars would be better. Put him in one next to Weisman, let them suffer together. Ensure they are never released. I may have run with a gang before but we never stooped to that sort of barbarity.”

“At your word, Commander. And thanks for handing over another, as you call it, sack of shit.”

The guard picked up the unconscious Finch, slapping him until he woke up, before dragging him away. He looked back, yelling all manner of abuse in my direction. I simply returned a sarcastic wave, as whatever he yelled was ignored by all the other patrons. Only when they had disappeared did I turn to my team. “So, anyone have questions?”

“We know your history but only the official parts. Would you mind going into details?” Alenko asked.

I shrugged. “Sure. Let me get a round in and I can give you the nitty-gritty.”

We grabbed a large booth at the back, though privacy wasn’t possible. Once one of the scantily clad waitresses had delivered our drinks, immediately putting in another order so we wouldn’t be thirsty, I opened the floor to questions. I assumed they knew the basics, so the first question Garrus asked was, “Were the Reds anti-alien?”

“When I ran them, no, not at all. We committed what I would call petty crimes. Not victimless, I can look back and say there was always a victim. But I generally ruled that, as long as no-one was physically hurt, we could live with ourselves. Before anyone asks, it was things like pickpocketing, robbery and shoplifting. Basically things that either gained us money or supplies. We generally tried to avoid hurting people.”

“Okay, we know you ended up with the Alliance, but how is that glossed over. What happened?” Ash asked.

I took a sip of beer before nodding. “A fair question. What happened is that someone was eventually killed. An elderly gentleman, think he was in his seventies. Robbery gone wrong. We lived by the rule of no-one got hurt but he fought back, he fell, smacked his head, and that was it. The two committing the crime ran and led the fuzz straight back to our hideout. I knew, then and there, we were done for.

Despite all the crime, we were not armed with weaponry, certainly not guns. When the cops arrived in force, all we had to fight them off were baseball bats and lead pipes. Some of the kids wanted to fight, but I knew a lot of us would just end up dead, so I ordered them to surrender. I was taken in immediately. The cops knew who I was.

To be honest, I was ready to simply take whatever they threw at me. I was guilty as sin. But, for some reason, Anderson walked into the interrogation room and offered me an opportunity. Apparently running my own gang was a good thing in their eyes. They could mould me into what they needed and wanted. Guess it worked because here I am now.

As for the anti-alien stuff, that must have happened later, after I’d been arrested and then joined the Alliance. I honestly thought that would have been the end of the Reds, but I guess enough of them got away to carry on. Guess Finch was one of them and the fact I’ve moved on pissed him off. The fact he thought I’d willingly help out after all this time reflects on him, not me.”

“So you don’t hate aliens?” Tali asked, and I heard the concern.

“I think the fact you guys are with me would suggest that I don’t, Tali. But to ease your concerns, no, I definitely don’t hate your kind, nor any other what we once called aliens. I think we can all learn from each other. Quite frankly, I think all our species are more alike than we’d care to admit.”

“What will you do about Finch?” Garrus wondered.

His tone intrigued me, so I asked, “How do you mean?”

“Well, do you think he was working here alone?"

I leaned back, stroked my chin. “Unlikely. But it makes me wonder how much they’ve changed since I left.”

“Think we should find out?”

I definitely heard his tone. Garrus wanted to find out. Considering this Weisman had been on the verge of possibly killing many of his people, I could understand why. “We’ll find out first thing tomorrow, Garrus. Just us two.”

The conversation thankfully moved on after that, all of us enjoying a few drinks, one or two girls getting up to dance, before we all headed back to the _Normandy_. I didn’t go to bed alone that night, though Shiala only wandered in after everyone else had disappeared for the evening. Lying back on my bed, as I was just ready to go to sleep, I found my boxer-briefs pulled down as she kneeled between my legs and she started to suck my cock without hesitation. I could only lean back and groan as, while I don’t think she’d done that before, she’d either read about it or she was naturally gifted.

“Shiala,” I whispered.

“I want you to cum for me, Shepard.”

I couldn’t help chuckle. “Keep going and it’s a guarantee.”

Somehow, she managed to take my entire length, feeling her nose eventually bump into me, and that seemed to excite her quite a bit. Her head was soon bobbing up and down quickly, her eyes looking up into mine. I could barely do anything as she was really bloody good, sending tingles up and down my body, her mouth and tongue pleasing my cock, her hands and fingers caressing my body. Yes, she definitely knew what she was doing.

“Oh god,” I moaned, feeling the inevitable approach.

She didn’t relent. In fact, I’m sure she picked up the pace. I couldn’t help start to gently thrust up into her mouth, though she met my gentle thrusts, almost desperate for me to cum. I groaned a final time before I felt myself erupt, feeing the muscles in my legs tighten as I unloaded into her mouth. I’m sure I heard her audibly gulp down what I emptied into her mouth as she kept sucking me until I relaxed back onto the bed, my mind now completely blank, my body more relaxed than it had been in some time.

Shiala finally released my cock, feeling it flop against my stomach, as she kissed up my chest before resting next to me, wrapping an arm around her. “I’m glad you like us, Shepard,” she whispered.

“Huh?”

“Aliens. I’m glad you like us.”

I chuckled. “Do things like that, and I won’t want humans anymore.” I met her eyes. “But… what was that for?”

“Shepard, you made me cum so hard the other night, you made me cry. I just wanted to return the favour. I hope it was…”

I kissed her before she could continue. “Best blowjob I’ve had in years.” That made the smile on her face broaden, highlighting those gorgeous eyes she had. “Want the favour returned?”

“Nope. I just wanted to do that for you before going to sleep. Do you mind?”

“I don’t. I just… Never mind…”

Waking the next morning, she was still asleep. Able to extricate myself without waking her, I woke her up by pleasuring her with my mouth. She woke up with a gasp, looking to see me licking her beautiful pussy. She didn’t say anything, simply spreading her legs as she reached down to run a hand through my hair. “Shepard,” she breathed.

“I’m going to make you cum hard again, Shiala.” She simply nodded, blinking rapidly. “Can you handle that?”

“Goddess, yes. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

She lasted all of five minutes before I made her cry out my name, hand grabbing my hair to stop me from moving away, basically rubbing her pussy in my face as her body quivered. I simply doubled down what I was doing, flicking her clit fast with my tongue, sending shockwaves up her body. It was obviously too much for her but she didn’t or couldn’t ask me to stop, looking up to see her cheeks were wet. Looking down, she nodded. “Keep going. Please keep going,” she whispered.

So that’s what I did. I lifted her body up until I was resting on my knees, looking down into her eyes. It was a little awkward, but with her legs resting over my shoulders, she was making even more noise. I loved her taste, and knew I’d happily eat her out every morning and night until the day I put a bullet in Saren. I made her cum again a second time, wondering if she would ask me to stop. She eventually whispered that she’d had enough, so I gently lowered her down onto the bed and removed my mouth, though kissed my way up her body before I looked down into her eyes. “Is it always that good?”

I smiled. “Well, I hope it is.”

I laid down beside her, Shiala turned onto her side and hugging me. “And here I thought last night ‘I’m just going go in there, such his cock, and that would be it’. Should have known!”

“Oh, I love a blowjob as much as the next man. Next time, you blow me and I’ll eat you out at the same time. That’s always good fun.”

We lay together until our stomachs grumbled and we needed breakfast. After dressing, we headed out together, this time no-one making any comment as we took our seats with our trays of food. Conversations between everyone continued, Shiala immediately offering her opinion on something being discussed between Liara and Ashley, both listening without making any mention of the fact she’d walked out of my quarters. After breakfast, I told the team that Garrus and I would be speaking with Finch, so they would be free for the day, but that we would be departing the next morning.

The mess eventually ended so that only Garrus and I were left. We didn’t really need to say anything, simply rising to our feet and heading out into the Citadel. Wandering toward C-Sec, I asked Garrus if they’d play ball. “You’re a Spectre, Shepard.”

“Ah, yeah. I just don’t want to rub them up the wrong way.”

“Considering what they’ve done, as long as you don’t ask for their release, they probably wouldn’t mind you shooting them.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

Walking down to the cells, I asked for Weisman and Finch. They were in separate, isolated cells, both earmarked for transportation back to turian space. I could only assume the Alliance was aware and hadn’t made a fuss. Considering they were criminals, I certainly wouldn’t stop them facing justice. And I knew turian justice was harsh.

I asked for Weisman first, having never met the man. Once he was placed in an interrogation room, I suggested to Garrus we play good cop, bad cop. He was surprised when I said I’d like to play bad cop, as he didn’t know me. If he did from the old days, he didn’t know me now.

I’ll admit, I beat him black and blue during interrogation, particularly after he admitted to his crimes. He would have been responsible for mass murder. Thousands if not millions of turians could have died had he been successful. The Reds I knew would never had done that. Whoever ran them now, and that was one thing he’d never confess, deserved a bullet.

Calling the guards in, they carried his bloodied, battered body back to his cell. He’d get rudimentary medical care but I doubted they’d give a shit. As I said, they probably expected me to kill him.

When Finch was brought in, Garrus and I swapped roles. I took a seat opposite Finch and questioned him, Garrus gave him a slap whenever he refused to answer or gave us one we didn’t like. I’ll admit that, by the end, we might have got carried away and, to be honest, he was lucky to walk out of the room alive. Did I feel bad about it? No, not at all. We got the information I wanted, handing that straight to C-Sec while also sending it to the Alliance. The Reds would hopefully cease to exist once they figured out how to handle them.

That left us the rest of the day to fill in and I thought I’d help out who I already considered a friend. “So, have you spoken to Chloe lately?” I wondered.

“What?”

“Well, as I said, Garrus, it was obvious she thought highly of you.”

“That doesn’t mean…”

“There’s no harm in trying,” I stated, interrupting him, “All you need to be is a little bit brave.”

He sighed, I think already in defeat, and it didn’t take much effort me to lead us towards her office. Striding in with Garrus a step behind, Chloe was definitely surprised to see us. “Commander, what brings you here?”

“We just wanted to see how you were doing after everything that went down before?”

“Oh, I’m fine, Commander. I wasn’t harmed and, while it was scary, it was a minor incident in the grand scheme of things.”

I gave Garrus an elbow. Probably noticed, but it woke him up. “Oh,” he cleared his throat, “I’m glad to hear you’re okay, Chloe.”

She immediately blushed and I nearly burst out laughing. They were as bad as each other. So I needed to get crafty, basically stepping aside and faking a message arriving. Garrus was making awkward small talk, or perhaps it was the other way around, but I made my omni-tool ping a couple of minutes later. “Well, damn, I’ve got to go deal with something.”

“Do you need my help?” Garrus asked.

“No, Spectre level only, Garrus. Sorry about that. Why don’t you just stay here with Chloe and keep her company? I’m sure she’d love that.”

“Oh, I don’t…”

“I would like that,” Garrus stated straight away. Finally found that spine he had.

“You would?”

Garrus turned to her, took a step closer. “I would, if you’d like my company.”

The blush turned into a smile. The sort of smile that told me everything she felt about him. She was smitten. “I’d definitely like that.” He didn’t smile, but the gentle grab of her hand… well, I’m sure you can imagine.

I don’t think either of them even noticed me leave. I’d definitely have to ask Garrus the next morning how everything went. I wouldn’t ask for the details, but if he got laid, good for him. He needed the release of tension.

Heading back to the _Normandy_, I spent most of the day at work, liaising with Pressly regarding a number of assignments we had to complete in addition to dealing with Saren. Noveria was still top of the list but there were a few matters that were listed urgent. I’m not sure what was more urgent than the impending destruction of the galaxy, but I was assuming that Saren still hadn’t found what he needed, as the Reapers hadn’t arrived yet, so we still had time.

Nearly everyone returned to the _Normandy_ that evening. Everyone except Garrus, that is. It was noticed as we ate dinner. Wrex asked me where he was, I simply shrugged and said I didn’t know. The krogan figured I was telling a white lie but didn’t push me. There were one or two subtle digs at me about what I’d been up to that afternoon, admitting that I’d been rather boring and just got on with work.

I slept alone that night, not that I minded. I thought Shiala might have wandered in again, but she disappeared to bed before most of us, figuring she was just tired. I actually ended up spending most of my time chatting with Ashley. Despite being human, she’d rarely been to Earth, having been born and grown up on a colony world and only visiting Earth when she was in training. She spent some time comparing her military career to mine and we definitively agreed that it was completely bullshit that she hadn’t been promoted. I gave her a solemn vow I’d help her progress after the mission.

Getting up to go to bed, she said, “Just a way for you to get into my pants, Shepard. Get on my good side.”

“I don’t do favours just to have sex with women, Ash. You deserve…”

“I’m yanking your chain, Shepard.”

I couldn’t help grin. “I figured, but…”

She took a step closer. “Would you like to though?” she asked, her tone softer, even… sultry.

“What, sleep with you?” She nodded. I smiled again before leaning closer to her ear. “I wouldn’t mind fucking your brains out, Ash. Get you on all fours then just make you beg for more.”

I heard her gasp but she didn’t move away. “What else?” she breathed into my ear.

“What else would you like?” I retorted quietly.

“I’d love you to eat my pussy, Shepard. All night, just your mouth between my legs. Would you like that?”

“I’d love it, Ash.” She met my eyes and I could read them easily. “But not tonight. We have a lot to do.”

She nodded, understanding immediately. “Of course, Shepard. But, maybe one day…”

“You’ve… changed…”

“I’ve been listening to Shiala, Shepard. I’m missing out. I don’t want to miss out. I’m not after commitment. I have my career to think about. But I miss the… intimacy that comes with being with someone. And I look at you and… I want…”

I stepped forward so our bodies were almost touching, leaning down so I nearly kissed her. “You want me, Ash? I want to hear you say it.”

“God yes, Shepard. I want you. Your hands on my body. Your lips on mine. Naked beneath you as you’re inside me.” She smirked. “Descriptive enough?”

I couldn’t help smile again. I tried not to make it look triumphant. “That feeling is mutual.” The smile that formed lit up her face, made her look ten times more beautiful in an instant. “And you’re beautiful when you smile.” That made her blush immediately. “Sorry, just…”

“No, I’ll take the compliment, Shepard.” She took a deep breath and stepped back. “I’d better go. Part of me doesn’t want to, but…”

“Good night, Chief.”

Another smile, recognising what I was doing. “Good night, Commander. I’ll see you at breakfast.”

“That you will. Couple of big days coming up.”

I decided we’d have breakfast before departing the next morning, also needing to wait for Garrus to show up. He came strolling into the mess just as we were about to finish, definitely looking pleased with himself. Taking a seat next to Wrex, the krogan just stated, “Someone got lucky last night. And, for once, it wasn’t Shepard.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about, Wrex.”

“Bullshit, turian. You just strolled in here, looking all sorts of smug, the look of a man who had his balls emptied last night.”

“Wrex!” Tali exclaimed, though giggling away.

“Get used to it, little one. It appears it’s not only the Commander that is getting some action now.” Wrex looked around the table before stopping at someone. “What about you, doc? Think you could handle a krogan?” I think Liara definitely turned a paler shade of blue, which only made him laugh harder. “Only kidding, doc. I know who you have the hots for.” He made an obvious glance in another direction. “Same with you, Ash. And you, Chakwas. I have all of you picked.”

I just burst into laughter. “Can’t get anything past you, can we?”

“I’m old enough to have seen this sort of shit happen before. Garrus now has a girlfriend.”

“Wait, what?”

“Oh, you definitely have a girlfriend now, turian. And as for you, Shepard, you just appear to be a magnet. Can understand why. Shiala has already let slip how… gifted you are.”

I glanced down the table. Shiala couldn’t meet my eyes, definitely blushing. “Gifted how?” Tali wondered.

“He has a big cock, little one. From what Shiala said, up to eight inches but also nice and thick.”

“Keelah,” Tali whispered, “They can get that big?”

“Krogan have bigger, but this isn’t a dick measuring contest. Let’s just say our Commander is well above average for his species.”

I met the eyes of Ashley. Hearing what I had definitely surprised her, and there was now a look in her eyes that suggested she didn’t want to wait much longer. Liara was simply blushing, the conversation probably too much for her. “Does it hurt?” Tali asked Shiala.

“Goddess, no. It’s perfect. I’m just amazed I managed to swallow his whole cock when I blew him.”

Wrex burst into laughter, slamming the table with his palm. Alenko couldn’t help burst into laughter too. “Well, this has turned into quite the breakfast conversation.”

“You want some action, LT?” Ashley joked.

“Ah, well, um…” He trailed off, looking embarrassed.

“Alenko, you can admit it. I’ve seen your file. No-one is going to judge. We don’t live in that world anymore,” I stated.

He shrugged, looking around the table. “Guess I hide it well, not that I do it in on purpose, but you can never be too sure of how people would react, even in todays world.” He cleared his throat before adding, “I prefer the company of men, Ash.”

“Oh, I had no idea.”

“I just don’t talk about my private life all that much. But I realised I preferred men after hooking up with this one girl I really liked. Realised I liked her as a friend rather than lover, then realised I was actually attracted to someone else in the same group, my feelings being all mixed up as I didn’t comprehend them at the time. He felt the same way and… well, that’s been my life since.” He sighed. “Being single does suck though.”

Wrex leaned forward. “Ever had krogan before?”

This made me laugh even harder, Tali even giggled. “Seriously?” Alenko asked.

Wrex shrugged. “Krogan don’t have what you were term sexual preferences. We’ll have sex with anyone. We do have sex with females for procreation but, other than that, it’s just for fun.”

Alenko looked around the table. “You’re being serious here?”

Wrex shrugged again. “I’m prepared to do a colleague a favour. I do warn you though, Alenko. I’m what you humans call well hung.”

“Um, maybe we should discuss this in private…”

“Well, looks like everyone is getting laid,” I joked, before a couple of people look at me, “Well, nearly everyone.”

Thankfully, we split up quickly as we did need to move. Once we’d departed the Citadel, I had the _Normandy_ head to the Voyager Cluster, in particular a planet by the name of Binthu. One of the urgent assignments involved a message I’d received from Admiral Kahoku, who had continued his investigation into the activities of Cerberus. Having located one of their facilities, he was personally investigating the plan but asked for my immediate back up.

In orbit around the planet, I tried to contact him below, but received no response. As usual, I would have the entire team on the ground with me, not prepared to leave any of them behind for the time being. With all of us having particular skills, we would be using overwhelming force against any opposition.

Landing groundside in the Mako, we’d already pinged the three facilities that we’d located before landing. Driving us towards the first one, we found ourselves under fire from what I could only assume were human terrorists the closer I drove.

“Light them up, Garrus,” I ordered, immediately hearing the machine gun above our heads do just that.

One of them had a rocket launcher, managing to fire one straight at us before Garrus riddled him with bullets. The rest were armed with rifles, stupidly thinking they’d do anything to our shielded and armoured machine. Killing them all didn’t take too long, and after we climbed out, Alenko did ask for orders.

“Like with ExoGeni, we’ll see if we can take prisoners and find out more about this Cerberus.”

Everyone agreed, even Wrex, and after checking armours and weapons, we headed inside. It was another facility dug into the ground, and it they were filled with terrorists. Those armed with weapons, we returned fire, shot and killed where they stood. The researchers and scientists we tried to shoot in the leg or arm. If they were stupid enough to pull a weapon, they joined others on the floor. But that isn’t what grabbed our attention.

“Creepers,” I muttered as I approached the force field. “Tali, can you get it down?”

“Of course, Shepard.”

“Shotguns out, people. Soon as it disappears, we kill them all.”

It didn’t take Tali long to get the shields down. As soon as it blinked out, we opened fire. The noise was deafening. The creepers didn’t stand a chance, their bodies simply piling on the floor. Ashley had cuffed and collared the lone scientist, and after a final check to make sure we’d collected all the data possible, and left no-one behind, we left the facility.

“The hell are we going to find at the second one?” Garrus muttered.

“Just what are these people up to?” Alenko asked himself.

Both were good questions as we boarded the Mako, now even more cramped with our prisoner. The second facility was like the first, the outside patrolled by terrorists, the inside full of them as well. But what lurked behind the force field this time… If you looked up monster in the dictionary, something like that would appear.

“The fuck are those?” I wondered.

Wrex sniffed the air. “They smell wrong, Shepard. Very wrong.”

“Know what it is?”

“I might, but then it doesn’t make sense.” He sniffed again. “I could be wrong.”

What we did was release them and kill them immediately. Everyone from Cerberus was dead, even the scientists taking out weapons as soon as we entered the large room where they seemed to be waiting for us. We grabbed more data, though nothing told us what the monsters were, simply saying they were experiments on sample letters and numbers. Would have liked the name of whatever it was, but I guess we’d find out later.

Heading to the third facility, I was worried about the fact we hadn’t seen nor heard from Admiral Kahoku. If he was being held prisoner, so be it, we could rescue him. But surely Cerberus would try and negotiate terms. The fact they hadn’t… I didn’t share the bad feeling I had settling in my stomach, simply steeling myself for whatever came next.

Cerberus, now aware we were on the planet, fought like fanatics. One had even strapped explosives to their chest and ran towards out vehicle, only quick thinking from Garrus stopping them from really causing some damage. That just pissed me off, so I may have run a couple of the bastards over in return. Gathering at the entrance, I suggested we were beyond taking prisoners at this point, the one we had tied up in the Mako enough. No-one disagreed with the order.

We slaughtered the bastards, that’s all I can really say about what happened. Biotics, tech and bullets rained down on anyone from Cerberus in the lab. They fought for as long and hard as possible but they never stood a chance against the overwhelming force at my disposal. Once they were all dead within a few minutes, our group approached the force field, a similar looking monster behind it. This one was aggressive, slamming into the barrier to try and get at us.

“Tali, take the barrier down. The rest of you, in cover. Soon as it goes down, Shiala and Liara, biotics. The rest of you, open fire.”

We realised it was weak to biotics, and with as many bullets as we put into it, the fight lasted all of thirty seconds before the monster was dead on the ground. Standing out of cover, Wrex wandered over, kicking it with his foot, sniffing the air. I ignored that as I found something I had expected for a while, but it was still a kick in the guts.

Crouching by the body, I checked for a pulse, but it had been a long time since blood had flowed through his body. Alenko and Ashley knelt down next to me. “He’s dead?” Ash asked quietly.

“He is, but…” I checked his body. Considering he was inside the containment area with that monster, his appeared fine. No wounds anywhere. So I checked his neck and then his arms, and that’s when I found the track marks. Alenko and Ashley noticed too. “Bastards. They didn’t even give him the dignity…”

Tali reported she’d found more data, for which I thanked her for. We managed to make a rudimentary stretcher out of supplies we found, Alenko and I carrying the body of Admiral Kahoku out of the facility, before placing it in the Mako. I dragged the scientist out, putting him on his knees, putting the barrel of my pistol to his head. “Why?” I growled.

Shaking as much as he was, little wonder his voice quivered. “He was getting too close. We were ordered…”

“You know who I am?” He nodded. “You know I’m a Spectre?”

“But you can’t…”

“Already have the data we need. Taking you won’t add anything. Prepared to tell me what I want?”

“I can’t. They’ll kill me.”

I smirked. “Wrong answer.”

I pulled the trigger, sending the bullet through his head, watching his body slump to the ground. The shot appeared to echo around us as I holstered the weapon and turned around. While there were one or two surprised looks, no-one said anything to start with. “Bastard deserved it,” Ashley muttered.

“Guess that changes things regarding Cerberus,” Garrus stated.

“Tali will get us the data we need. Unless we get our hands on someone senior, and I don’t think that piece of shit was much of anything, then we’re going to simply wipe the bastards out. No negotiating with terrorists.”

Calling in Joker, we were soon back on the _Normandy_, where we placed the body of Admiral Kahoku in a coffin, and I reported in what we’d discovered. Admiral Hackett, who by now was my main means of communication with the Alliance, ordered me to return his body to the Citadel immediately, where it would then be taken to Arcturus for a funeral. Being a member of the Alliance Navy, he would not be buried on land. His coffin would be released into space, where it would float for eternity. I suggested that, instead of the Citadel, we just deliver it to Arcturus as I wished to attend. Hackett agreed, so I had Joker take us to Arcturus.

I hadn’t been there in quite a while, always amazed at the sheer size of the place. Docking the _Normandy_, the coffin could basically levitate off the ground thanks to mass effect fields, Ashley, Alenko and I flanking it as we walked off the ship, his coffin draped in the flag of the Alliance. Alliance personnel were lined up to either side, saluting as we walked forward slowly, Admiral Hackett one of at least greeting us.

His coffin taken away, the admirals wanted to hear my report. Dismissing everyone for now, only Wrex getting unwanted attention considering few people had probably met krogan, I was whisked away to a large office, where I told them everything that had happened since my first meet with the admiral. They wanted to hear details about what happened on Binthu, and I held nothing back, including the summary execution of the scientist. I wanted them to know what I would do for both the Citadel and humanity.

“His funeral will be tomorrow, Shepard. Anyone from ship, Alliance or not, is invited to attend,” Hackett stated.

“Thank you, sir.”

The funeral was a solemn affair. Being a hero of the Skyllian Blitz, Admiral Kahoku was fondly thought of in Alliance circles. Word of his murder spread quickly, and the hall was packed to the rafters during the service. Hackett spoke warmly of his friend and colleague, and many were saddened when it was mentioned the admiral had left behind a wife and three children. That just pissed me off even further, knowing my personal war against Cerberus had only just begun.

The service over, I met my group outside, suggesting we would depart the Citadel within a couple of hours. After sharing a few words with Hackett again, I also introduced myself to Kahoku’s family. They knew me, coming as no real surprise. They simply thanked me for bringing his body home so they could say goodbye.

Once all of us were back on the _Normandy_, I put our next destination into the galaxy map. Joker did query it, wondering why we were not going to Noveria. I suggested we had one or two other matters to deal with first before that but not to worry. Noveria was next on the list.


	9. Book 1, Chapter 9 - Revenge: A Dish Best Served Cold

Being one of the first out of my room for breakfast wasn’t always a surprise. I generally woke early anyway, and after a piss and a shower, my stomach was usually grumbling after that, so after dressing, I’d wander out to usually find one or two people. I was slowly joined by others, Ashley, Chakwas, Garrus, Tali and the two asari, who seemed to be getting on rather well, I guess having a common bond.

Wrex was one of the last to appear, and he was looking rather smug. Alenko was the last to show up, which was unusual, but when he sat down, he noticeably winced, enough that most of us didn’t miss it at all. “Something up, LT?” Ash wondered.

Alenko didn’t say anything. Wrex replied, “Well, something was up him last night.”

I burst into laughter. Most of the girls had a giggle. “Wrex, please…”

“Yep, you moaned that last night too when I was balls deep in your arse. In fact, I’m fairly sure you were begging me to keep going.”

“So you were serious?” Liara wondered. “I thought you were… I thought you were joking.”

Wrex forked some food into his mouth before leaning forward. “Let me tell you something, young doctor. Our Lieutenant here now loves krogan cock. I fucked him hard, made him cum plenty of times, and I know he’ll want it again and again.” He glanced around the table. “He’ll just have to work on that gag reflex for when he’s blowing me.”

I looked at Alenko, who while blushing, glanced at Wrex and I noticed the small smile. “Alenko?” I wondered.

“Oh, I’m sore this morning, Shepard, but it was worth every second of it. I’m not expecting romance but I love to be fucked by something so long and thick. And I had no idea krogan had four balls! I’ve only got two hands!”

“Damn, sounds like LT will be seeing some action going forward,” Ash joked.

“How big?” Tali asked, to the groans of the table.

“You really want to see, little one?” Tali nodded. “I’ll show you in private later. I don’t want to just whip it out in the mess. Alenko will want to jump on it again.” That earned plenty of laughter, Alenko returning a rueful grin. “Hey, watching a human ride this thing was an interesting experience.”

“Anyway, where we headed, Commander?” Ashley asked, getting our minds away from what Wrex and Alenko had been up to.

“Three planets in total. First we’ll be visiting Mavignon in the Gemini Sigma cluster, then Klensal in the Hades Gamma cluster. Once we’ve dealt with the people based there, we head for Amaranthine in the Horse Head Nebula.”

“And this is for that woman who asked for your help on the Citadel?” Alenko asked, his mind now on the job.

“Aye, it is. I’m already thinking of how to deal with her.”

“Differently to Finch, I assume?” Shiala asked, a small grin, so obviously she was aware.

“No, I don’t plan on smacking her around, if that’s what you mean. But, as usual, everyone will be on the ground for the first two planets. When it comes to Amaranthine, I’m tempted to approach her alone and see if I can convince her to move on to other things. Use my own life as an example of how things could be better.”

“Not a bad idea, Commander,” Alenko stated.

“Thanks. Up here for thinking,” I pointed at my head, “Down there for dancing,” pointing at my feet, “And the thing in between is for fucking.” The whole table groaned before there were a few giggles at least. “Anyway, now that we know what we’re doing, let’s move on from Alenko and ask Garrus how his night with Chloe was?”

The turian just looked at me with daggers. “But we’ve already…” He trailed off with a sigh. “Damn it.”

Most of the team split up once breakfast was done, though that left Shiala, Liara and Ashley at the table. They were talking amongst themselves, and I was just getting ready to head up to the deck when they asked me to stay. Wondering what they wanted, I moved my chair closer. The three shared a look before Shiala cleared her throat. “So, Shepard, the fact you and I have slept together hasn’t gone unnoticed. I probably haven’t helped by being… well, I think the human term is ‘waxing lyrical’ about, well, everything about you.”

“She says you have a big cock, Shepard,” Ashley put rather bluntly, “But the best thing is, you actually know how to use it.”

“Anyway, we’ve already talked about our relationship, or the fact we don’t have one. We’re just having fun, blowing off steam between missions. The thing is…”

“I need you to fuck me, Shepard,” Ashley stated, “I know what I said before but I can’t deny the fact I need your company in bed.”

“Okay.”

That just made her smile as we all looked at Liara, who blushed quite brightly. “Come on, Liara, no point denying it now,” Shiala stated.

“It’s not that easy and you know why, Shiala.”

“What is it?” I wondered.

Liara didn’t reply, I think embarrassed, so Shiala replied for her. “She’s never been with anyone, Shepard. Our young doctor here is a virgin.”

“Oh… Really? But you’re one hundred and six!”

“That’s still quite young for an asari, Shepard,” Shiala explained, “Though most of us have been fucking by half that age, if not earlier. We do take longer to mature but reaching triple figures as a virgin is unusual. No offence, Liara.”

“None taken. I’ve just not had many opportunities to be with someone. I spend most of my time on dig sites alone.”

“You prepared to deflower a virgin, Shepard?” Shiala wondered.

“Definitely.” Liara looked at me with wide eyes at my tone, then blushed brightly again, looking away immediately. “Come on, I think it’s no secret I find the three of you attractive. But I’ll put it plainly. I’m not interested in anything else except sex. If you can handle that, great, we’ll have some fun. If not, it would be best if we leave things how they are.”

“We’re already fucking, Shepard, so you know my answer.”

I looked at Ashley. “I’ve got my career to think about, but since this is a vessel commanded by a Spectre, I think that gives me just enough leeway to be royally fucked by my Commanding Officer.” The tone she used caused me to shuffle in my seat. She was keen. Very keen.

We all looked at Liara again. “Oh, definitely. Absolutely. I already masturbate thinking about it.” She seemed to realise what she’d just said, but simply shrugged. “Well, of course I do, considering I haven’t had sex yet. How else am I going to get off?”

“What about you, Shepard?” Shiala wondered.

“I’ll put it simply. I’ll fuck any woman who shows an interest. Granted, I have to like them in return, and I do like some sort of connection, but I don’t need to be in love to have a good time. If we’re physically attracted to each other, then it’s just sex. Usually the good kind.”

“I think we can all agree to that,” Ashley stated, and the matter appeared settled.

“What about Tali?” Liara wondered.

“What about her?” Ashley asked.

“Well, I think it’s obvious she’s nursing a little crush on Shepard. Should we include her in this?”

“While I like Tali, I think the chances of sex happening are minimal considering all that’s she told me about their immune systems and trying to get out of their suits,” I replied.

“Anyone else you can think of?”

I did glance towards the med-bay. “Reckon Chakwas could handle me?” That caused the three of them to laugh. “Hey, I know how old she is from her file. Trust me, she’s not as old as you think, and she’s fit for her age.”

“If you want to, Shepard, no-one is stopping you,” Shiala said.

Having got what they needed off their chests, the three left me to get on with my work. I had no idea what was going to happen next.

* * *

Tali would admit she’d been nursing a crush on Shepard since the moment he’d rescued her on the Citadel. But while it was clear he liked her in return, she didn’t think or believe it would ever turn into romance. And considering it was obvious that he did like to enjoy sexual relations with numerous partners, she didn’t know if she could handle that.

However, she had surprised herself that morning during the conversation with Wrex. She had blurted out the question, unable to stop herself, simply due to curiosity. She had heard Shiala talk about Shepard with a couple of other women, but from Wrex said, he was even… bigger.

Finishing her shift for the day, knowing they would arrive at the first planet the next day, she approached Wrex after dinner. “Remember what we talked about earlier?” she asked, “At breakfast?”

“I remember.”

“Can I… Can I see it?”

“You were serious?” She nodded rather keenly. The big krogan just shrugged. “Okay. We should definitely do this in some privacy.”

They found an empty room, walking inside and locking it, leaning back against the door as Wrex simply stood, looking at her. “I’m not going to bite, Tali.”

“I’ve never seen one before, and from what you said…”

He walked towards her, taking her gently by the hand, and led her into the middle of the room. “Get on your knees,” he instructed gently. She did as he asked, noticing him start to undo the lower regions of his armour. Once all that was off, she watched him grasp his cock and slowly stroke himself as it just grew… and grew… and grew…

“Keelah,” she whispered.

He finally stopped and looked down. “That’s about as big as it gets, Tali.”

“Keelah,” she whispered again, reaching forward without thinking. Wrex was about to say something when she brushed her hand against his cock, swallowing down whatever he was going to say. Tali took her time looking it up and down before leaning forward, noticing that he had a set of four testicles. She knew enough that every other species only had two.

Without really thinking, she tried to wrap her hand around his cock but couldn’t quite do it. “Um, Tali…”

“I just want to play with it a little,” she breathed.

“You play with it for any length of time…”

“How did Alenko manage… I don’t really understand…”

“A lot of patience, and a hell of a lot of lube,” Wrex stated with a chuckle, “Tali, you’ve never been with someone. Sure you want to do this?” She looked up and met his eyes. She was surprised to see his were so caring, which matched his tone. “I thought you liked Shepard?”

“Oh, I do but… I’ll never have him like this so…” She paused. “Oh, that must sound horrible, Wrex. I’m sorry.”

He rumbled with laughter. “None taken, little one.” He reached down and lifted her up so she was standing. “But you don’t want it like this, not with someone like me. You want your first time doing anything special or intimate to be with someone you care about. I’m flattered that you want to do something with me, and a small part of me would like you too. The larger part doesn’t want to take advantage of your good nature. You’re a good kid, Tali. You should wait to be with someone who cares about you.”

“You care about me, Wrex?”

“I do, but in a different way. You’re my colleague, and you’re my little friend.” She wrapped her arms around him as much as she could, feeling his arms wrap around her. She started to giggle as his cock became trapped between the pair of them. “Damn, now I have an erection and no-one to use it on.”

“I could get Alenko?”

She leaned back to see an almost predatory grin. “Oh, that’ll do nicely.” He paused before asking, “Want to watch?”

“Really?”

He shrugged. “If you’re interested.”

“I never thought I would find it interesting, but I’ll admit part of me is. I’ll go get him.”

She practically ran out of the room and up towards where Alenko usually hung out in the mess. Alenko appeared amused by the fact she’d obviously run to find him. Before he could ask, she simply said, “Wrex wants you.”

There was no misinterpreting what that meant, Alenko shutting down his workstation and following Tali to where Wrex was waiting. He was leaning against a wall, his cock standing out proud. Alenko immediately went towards him, dropping to his knees, though turned when Tali stayed in the room, locking the door. “What’s going on?” he wondered.

“My little friend has now seen what I have. And now she wants to watch what I do to you.”

“Are you sure?” Alenko asked her.

“I think this is going to be a major turn on.”

Alenko ended up naked quite quickly and she couldn’t help appreciate how toned and athletic he was. She didn’t guess at the size of his cock, much smaller than Wrex, but it appeared adequate. She wouldn’t say what happened over the next couple of hours was loving. Not at all. Alenko was fucked, and fucked hard, but clearly enjoyed every second of it. Wrex seemed to enjoy himself too, contorting Alenko into various positions as he drove his massive cock into him. Tali switched on her Nerve-Stim Pro as she watched, and she definitely made noise of her own.

“I think she’s masturbating in her own particular way, Kaidan,” Wrex stated, watching the human ride him.

“Good for her. Shame it’s so difficult for her to enjoy something like this.”

“Oh, I can cum hard enough with this,” Tali breathed, turning the setting up to time the pulses going through her body with Alenko’s bouncing.

The three of them practically came together, which felt rather nice, despite the fact she was alone. Alenko collapsed onto Wrex, the krogan simply lay back and laughed to himself, while Tali nearly collapsed onto the floor herself, feeling her legs quiver as she’s used the highest setting possible. She lay there for a while until Wrex appeared in her eyeline, his cock now packed away, feeling one of his hands gently lift her up. “Well, big day, little one.”

“That was so hot, Wrex,” she whispered.

“Glad you enjoyed the show.” Both glanced at Alenko, still lying naked back on the floor, a pool of cum underneath him. “I think our Lieutenant here is worn out.”

“And very sore. Totally worth it though.”

It was only as she unlocked the door and looked around that she noticed the little camera in the corner. She looked at Wrex, then gestured with her head. He just roared with laughter again. “Looks like someone got a show then. You should head out first. I’ll help my friend here.”

Walking towards the sleeping pods, she was thankful the mess was empty, grabbing a tube of food paste to nibble on before heading to bed. She thought she would remain alone until Shepard wandered out of his quarters, heading to the fridge to grab a bottle of water, before he walked straight to her table, sitting opposite her.

“Didn’t expect that, Tali.” She could feel her cheeks heat up under her mask. “No need to be embarrassed about it either.”

“Did you see everything?”

“I noticed Wrex and yourself go in. I’ll admit I was curious to see what you would do. Once Alenko headed in, I tuned out and moved the camera away.”

“Oh…”

“I did watch you though. That was… Well, it was hot, Tali. Watching your body writhe. I take it’s some sort of in built thing in your suit?” She nodded, still feeling embarrassed. “Shame you can’t take off your suit, Tali.”

She felt her eyes widen in surprise, jaw drop open, wishing he could see the reaction. “What?”

“Tali, just watching how your body moved, it was incredibly… erotic.”

“Guess I was a little turned on,” she said softly.

She watched him lean forward. “Tali, can we be serious a moment?” She nodded. “Are you interested in me? You don’t have to ans…”

“Yes,” she interrupted him, “I’m very interested, Shepard. But I’m in this suit, so…”

“There are ways and means, Tali. You’re a quarian, rather resourceful and definitely intelligent. I’m sure you can find a way.”

“You would be interested in me?”

“Yes, but you must be aware of…”

“Oh, I already know and, to be honest, while part of me wants you to myself, I’m not going to try and change who you are, Shepard.”

“What I will do is leave it up to you, Tali. If you can find a way to get out of that suit, then we can have some fun together. If you don’t,” he leaned across, grabbing her hand, “I will always be a friend. A close one, I hope.”

She nearly started to cry at the sincerity in his voice. “Thank you,” she whispered, hearing the catch, feeling him squeeze her hand. “First Wrex. Now you. Why is everyone being so… nice… or caring, at least.”

“We like you, Tali. Your infectious enthusiasm definitely rubs off on the rest of us.”

“I’ll start researching right away, Shepard.”

“Well, nice to know that you’re eager.”

She finished her paste tube as he finished his bottle of water. Wishing her goodnight, he headed off towards his quarters as she found an empty pod to sleep in. Lying back once the lid was closed, she couldn’t sleep straight away, turning on her Nerve-Stim Pro again, this time using her imagination, thinking of being naked with Shepard, feeling his hands and mouth all over her body before he slid his cock inside her, making her his as much as the others. She definitely squealed his name as she came really hard, and it wasn’t surprising that sleep arrived quite easily after that.

* * *

Mavigon was a frozen, barren wasteland. Perfect place for a criminal to hide out. Or, at least, that’s what he had been doing. Approaching the base, we’d easily taken care of the guards on the outside, and once inside, we slaughtered them. Dealing with krogan mercenaries was a slight surprise, Wrex dealing with one of them alone, the rest of us ganging up to kill the other one as quickly as possible. We didn’t gain any real information; the data logs having been wiped. We took what we could, Tali suggesting she could find out what was deleted once we’d handled everything.

Heading straight for Klensal after that, I received a message from Helena, letting me know she’d received word that one of her colleagues was now dead. I didn’t question how she knew, simply letting her know I was on my way to the second planet.

Klensal was just as uninhabitable as the first planet, though not as bitterly cold this time around. We approached the base, and this time, they knew we were coming. The Mako came under sustained rocket fire, Garrus eventually having to resort to the cannon, watching as part of the base crumbled, most of my colleagues disembarking and providing a distraction as I drove in as close as possible. They fought hard and well, but could not stop our progress.

Heading inside, the crime boss introduced himself and tried to bribe his way out, figuring that it was Helena who had sent me. I neither confirmed nor denied, and flatly refused his offer. He threated to blow up the base with us in it, so I moved quickly and put a bullet in his head. I thought that would have made the other mercenaries at least surrender, considering their paymaster was dead, but I guess they thought we were going to kill them anyway. So that’s what we did…

Back on the _Normandy_ as we headed to Amaranthine, I did sit back and think about what I should do regarding Helena Blake. Having a criminal past myself, it took one to know one, so to speak. But I also sensed some… good in her, much like Anderson had seen it in me. So I resolved to solve all of this peacefully but also see if I could convince her to move on. I could only hope she would listen to reason.

Arriving in orbit around Amaranthine, the team had already been told I would be heading planet side alone. Alenko and Ashley tried to argue but, in this instance, I put my foot down. They relented as soon as I did that, though told me to be careful.

Joker dropped me as close to the base as possible so I didn’t have to drive too far. The base she was in was similar to those I’d already encountered on Mavigon and Klensal. I did take out my pistol, just in case. Walking into the main room, Helena was already waiting for me.

“Hello again, Commander Shepard. I owe you a debt of gratitude. With my former partners now dead, this syndicate is now mine. I could not have done it without you.”

“While I was happy to help, Helena, you know I can’t just stop there.”

“You’re not going to arrest me, are you?” I heard the concern in her tone. “I promise you that, under my leadership, this organisation with restrict itself to gambling and smuggling illegal technologies. I know these crimes are hardly worth the time of a Council Spectre.”

I took a step towards her, sensing she tensed up. So I placed the pistol in its holster, before I closed the gap, taking both her hands in mine. “Helena,” I said softly, “The reputation of your organisation is already ruined. Once your associates started dealing in drugs and slavery, that is what you will be known for too.” She looked down and away, so I used a finger to lift her face towards mine. “You can be redeemed, though. You know my history?”

“A little.”

“I was once a criminal myself, Helena. Now look at me, Council Spectre, strutting across the galaxy. If you change your path, who knows where you might end up. You’re clearly intelligent, that much is clear. Put that intelligence to better use.” She met my eyes and I saw the conflict. So I leaned down and kissed her. She responded immediately, feeling her arms wrap around me. It was a hell of a kiss; I’ll admit that right now.

Breaking apart, her face close to mine, she whispered, “If I disband, I walk away free.”

“Come with me now. I’ll take you wherever you want to go. Just walk away.”

“And these men? What about them?”

“Do you really care?”

“I could blow up the base once we’re clear?”

“If you want to, that’s your choice.” I stood back and offered my hand. “Will you come with me?”

She didn’t hesitate for a second, grabbing my hand, and I walked with her back to the Mako. Settling inside, I was busy driving us away when she keyed her omni-tool. Bringing the Mako to a stop, I heard the enormous explosion behind us. “Well, that’s all wrapped up then,” she stated as I slammed the Mako back into gear and headed for the pick-up zone.

Once back on the ship, I introduced Helena to my team as we headed back to the Citadel, where she wanted to be dropped off. After we had dinner, we sat together in the mess and she looked a little lost. I reached across to grab her hand. “You’ll figure it out,” I assured her.

“I know. I was good at what I did though.”

“So was I, until I was caught. If it wasn’t for this, I’d be sitting in a cell right about now.”

“Maybe I just need a certain Commander to put a good word in for me.”

“Find what your passionate about and I’ll help however I can.”

We continued to chat until it was time to hit the hay. Standing up, she simply took my hand and gave me a look I could interpret easily, so I led her to my quarters. Once the door was locked, our mouths met as hands started to explore, clothing quickly being removed. Once we were both down to our underwear, which didn’t take too long in all honesty, she rested both hands on my chest. “You don’t even know how old I am, Shepard.”

“I don’t really care.” I took a step back and looked her up and down. “You’re fucking fit as.”

That made her smile as our bodies pressed together, feeling her smile as she would have felt my erection press into her. Removing her bra, I dropped that to the floor, kissing down her neck before I grasped one of her breasts, sucking and nibbling at one of her nipples. She definitely enjoyed that, and definitely enjoyed my second hand moving down to gently rub at her sex.

Sliding my hand underneath her panties, I felt the trimmed fur of her pussy before I brushed her clit, feeling her jump before I found what I wanted. “Shepard,” she breathed.

Her hands went to the band of my underwear, those falling to the ground, one of her hands grasping my cock. That’s when she had to break the kiss. “Holy shit, Shepard.”

I tried not to look too smug. “I know. I’ve received compliments.”

The speed at which she dropped to her knees nearly made my head spin. Her tongue was quickly running up and down my shaft, her eyes always looking at me, licking me like a lollipop. I could only run a hand through her hair as she slowly started to lick the tip before taking some of my length in her mouth. “Helena,” I breathed.

“Let’s just say I’m old enough to have had some experience doing this,” she said.

“Think you can take the entire length?”

“Can you return the favour as I do?”

I lifted her up and lay on the bed, Helena resting on my crotch for a moment as we kissed again, before she swung around, lowering her pussy to my mouth. She tasted divine, hearing her joke that my cock seemed to grow after that. I managed to concentrate on eating her out as she blew me, but she wasn’t lying. She certainly knew her way around a cock, but returned a compliment, suggesting I was quite good at what I was doing to her.

All I did was bury my face and enjoy her taste. She had a fantastic arse as well, obvious she looked after herself, giving it the occasional squeeze, which made her giggle. But her blowjob was incredibly distracting, and when I felt her take my entire length, she moaned in triumph, and I warned her I wasn’t going to last much longer.

“Oh, I’m definitely swallowing what you give me, Shepard.”

She took a mouthful a couple minutes later. Probably more than a mouthful, and it was another fantastic orgasm. She laughed as I groaned loudly, feeling incredibly relaxed as she rested her body against mine, her pussy still in my eyeline, looking very wet and inviting. I gave myself a couple of minutes before I picked her up, spun her around, and placed her on her back.

Then I returned the favour, and she was now rather turned on. Not a single inch of her sex remained untouched, learning quickly where she liked my tongue to touch her. Once she started to shudder, I knew she was getting close, focusing on her clit. That caused her to cry out my name again, and then her orgasm hit like a freight train. I kept eating her out until she simply had to cry enough, reaching down so I kissed up her body before she leaned up to kiss me hard. “Holy shit, Shepard,” she whispered, noticing her body still shudder occasionally, “That was one of those all over, from toes to fingers, kind of orgasms.”

“Well, glad I could help.”

Resting my cock against her, I gave her a few minutes to recover as we simply made out, her hands running up and down my arms and back. I rolled onto my back, taking her with me, so I could run my hands up and down her body. “As I said, fit as fuck, Helena.”

That definitely made her blush as she lifted herself up, placing the tip of my cock at her entrance. She met my eyes and smirked. “Are you ready, Shepard?”

“God yes. Thought about this since the first time we met.”

I felt my cock spread her as I slid inside, both of us moaning as she slowly took every inch. “Oh god, Shepard,” she exclaimed. I simply watched my entire cock disappear at the first time of asking, her crotch nestling against mine. She leaned forward and gave me a hell of a kiss again, wrapping her arms tightly around her as I shifted my legs, earning a gasp for my troubles.

“Easy, Shepard,” she whispered.

I ran my hands down her back until they rested on her arse, Helena lifting herself up on her hands. She slowly started to ride me as I gently thrust up into her. She looked perfect in the low light of my cabin, her face expressing everything she was feeling. Moving a hand up her body, I caressed her cheek, watching her eyes close as I cupped her face. “You are beautiful,” I whispered.

“Have a thing for older women, Shepard?”

“I was attracted right away, Helena.”

She opened her eyes and smiled. “Me too. I just never thought… I thought you were joking.”

I held her as I rolled her onto her back, her legs wrapping around me, feeling her feet rest above my butt. “Oh, I never joke about something like this,” I said, starting to thrust into her faster.

“Fuck yes,” she moaned, “Fuck me, Shepard.”

I leaned down to kiss her, feeling her hand hold my head in place. She was now whimpering as I picked up the pace of my thrusts, starting to go a little bit harder as well. I knew was I going to last quite a while, feeling her shuffle to change the angle. That caused her to break the kiss and cry out.

“Okay?”

“Oh fuck, Shepard…” I kept going as I watched her shudder. “Oh fuck, I’m going to…” She trailed off as a loud moan erupted from her mouth, dragging me down to kiss her quickly before she needed to break it again. “Oh fuck, how is this…” I picked up the pace further, and that finished the job for her. When she started to blink rapidly, I almost stopped. “Don’t you dare stop, you wonderful son of a bitch!” I couldn’t help chuckle at her tone as she definitely enjoyed one hell of an orgasm, holding on for dear life as I was now really fucking her.

Once she’d recovered, she placed a hand on my chest. “Switch.”

Wondering what she wanted, I pulled out and rested on my knees as she simply turned around onto her hands and knees. I leaned down to gently bite her arse cheek before I slid my cock inside her once again. She rested her head on a pillow, looking back at me with nothing but a smile. Grabbing her hips, I gave her a hard thrust. “Like that?”

“Fuck and cum in me, Shepard.”

So that’s what I did, wasting no time pounding her as hard as she wanted, the sound of skin slapping together echoing around my cabin. I eventually leaned forward to pick her up, resting her back against my chest. I loved that position for the intimacy, kissing her neck as I held onto her with one hand, running my right down her body towards her sex. “Another one?” she breathed.

“I want you to cum over and over again, Helena.”

I think she choked back a sob. “What have I done to deserve this treatment?”

“Listened to me as much as I believed in you. Plus, you’re a hot piece of arse as I said.”

That made her laugh as she turned back to kiss me. “Girl’s going to get feelings after a night like this.”

“Who said this was a one-time only deal?”

She didn’t say anything to that, simply leaning back against me. “Fuck me,” she breathed, “I need to feel you finish in me, Shepard.”

I let her go as I leaned forward, changing position so I could reach down to kiss her. Then I really fucked her, both of us moaning and groaning loudly. I could feel my orgasm approach but wanted to last as long as possible. She just begged for my cock and cum, not wanting me to stop while, at the same time, begging for me to finish.

I warned her I was close, feeling her squeeze my cock with her pussy, simply urging me on. I simply couldn’t hold it back any longer, really fucking her hard before I buried myself a final time and unloaded. The groan I released, they would have heard me all around the ship. Once I felt empty, and I mean really empty, I could only sit there on my knees, cock still buried inside her. She sat up and leaned back, giving me a gentle kiss on the cheek. “You ever want to do this again, Shepard, I won’t say no. Not at all.”

I pulled out and picked her up in my arms, earning a squeal as I carried her to my shower. Placing her on the floor, I turned it on and we washed each other down, continuing to make out as we did. Once we were clean, we dried each other down before heading to bed, as she was now exhausted, and I was feeling rather light headed myself.

Lying on my back, I wrapped an arm around her as she ran a hand up and down my chest. “Been a long time since I’ve enjoyed a night like this, Shepard. In my line… In my old line of work, you couldn’t afford to get close to anyone.” Giving her a squeeze, all she did was sigh with contentment. “Thank you, Shepard. I’ve really enjoyed tonight.”

“So have I. Fit. As. Fuck.”

“Maybe we could enjoy each other again in the morning?”

“Definitely.”

“Want to ride this thing to orgasm.”

So that’s what we did. Once we both woke up, Helena simply straddled my lap, slid down my cock, and rode me until she came at least twice before I finished inside her again. Then we made out for a little while before I suggested we get up. Wandering out of my cabin, the entire mess fell silent as we lined up for a tray of food each until I heard Wrex say, “Okay, Vakarian, pay up. I told you he was going to fuck her.”

“Spirits, I shouldn’t have taken the bet.”

Taking a seat, with Helena sitting opposite me, Helena asked, “You bet on whether he’d sleep with me?”

“Listen, lady. I already know Shepard here. He wants the company of most women here, but as soon as he returned to this ship yesterday, I knew he was going to fuck you.”

“I was more than willing. I definitely wanted him in return.”

“Oh, we heard that this morning,” Ashley said, “Something about how great his big cock felt and how hard he made you cum.”

“Well, it does feel great and he definitely made me cum more than once. I feel like a new woman this morning.”

I simply sat in silence, enjoying breakfast, anticipation our return to the Citadel within a couple of days. Of course, life doesn’t always work out that way.

* * *

We were in orbit over Agebinium, having been ordered here immediately by the Alliance. Any plans for a return to the Citadel were put on hold for the time being. Helena didn’t mind as it gave her time to sit back and contemplate her future.

Down in the garage, I had my entire team ready for insertion as I gave them final instructions. “This mission comes directly from the top brass. Non-Alliance members, you are about to hear highly classified details. I expect your discretion.” After receiving nods, I continued. “An espionage probe has been located on the planet above. What no-one knows is that these probes carry nuclear payloads. Garrus, if you are wondering, they were sent out as the First Contact War was occurring. Not knowing who else was out there, it was decided that sending nukes out would probably help defend ourselves.”

“We’d have done the same thing, Shepard,” Garrus stated.

“Anyway, the request is to disarm and retrieve the probe, returning it to the Alliance. We don’t have to take the probe as long as it is disarmed when we leave. Even if it falls into the wrong hands afterwards, they won’t be able to do anything with it.”

Piling into the Mako, we were on the ground within a couple of minutes, everyone now used to an airdrop. Sure, the landing wasn’t always soft but the suspension captured the worst of it. Following the beacon, we ended up driving into an abandoned mining complex. I wasn’t the only one to immediately question what the probe was doing in a mine.

“I thought it would have crashed?” Alenko stated.

“You and me both, LT,” Ashley added.

“This smells wrong, Shepard,” Wrex warned.

“I hear all of you but we have a job to do. But we don’t all need to head down. Alliance personnel with me, the rest of you take guard out here and watch our backs.”

Even I thought it was a bit nuts as the three of us headed underground. I knew it was going to be some sort of trap, I just didn’t know what, but that’s why I left everyone else behind to watch our back. The mine was deserted, though whether recently or otherwise, I couldn’t figure out. All the lights were on, though, but it was spooky being so far underground and we were the only three alive.

“According to my sensors, the probe is just ahead, Commander,” Alenko reported.

We ended up going down another shaft, left thinking that we could really end up trapped. Exiting into a small cave, I could see the probe ahead. The three of us lined up and approached it cautiously. I didn’t think it was going to explode, but I wasn’t going to take too many chances with nuclear weapons.

Then we heard an explosion somewhere behind us, the entire mine shaking. “Shit, that wasn’t good, sir,” Ashley muttered.

A hologram of a turian appeared from the probe. Never seen the man before, but he seemed to know and see me. “Ah, Commander Shepard, at least we meet.”

“Well, I wouldn’t call this meeting. Who the fuck are you though?”

“My name is Elanos Haliat. I doubt you know it.”

“Nope, never heard it mentioned. Since I haven’t heard of it, I doubt you’re important.”

I heard the other two stifle chuckles, knowing I was just trying to provoke a reaction. “Who do you think runs the Terminus Clans, Shepard? Thousands of pirates, slavers, criminals of every stripe?”

I chuckled. “And you think I give a shit about a piece of shit like yourself?”

He wouldn’t react, not yet. “The strongest leads, Shepard. The one who kills the most men. Seizes the most ships. Pillages the most colonies.”

I faked looking at a watch. “What’s your point?”

“Three years ago, I was the strongest. I used my influence to assemble a fleet. We would drive your kind out of the Verge.”

“You son of a bitch,” I growled, “You’re responsible for…”

He cut me off. “I was the motivator. The instigator. The one who promised glory and riches for sacking the largest human colony in the cluster.” He paused before putting a thumb into his chest. “The one blamed for when the attack failed.”

“You’re going to die, Haliat.”

He simply smirked. “I was ruined when our kind held against the Blitz. What better way to recover my reputation than by eliminating the first human Spectre?”

“You’re a fucking dead man, Haliat. I’m going to take great joy in slitting your throat.”

He chuckled. “Empty words from a dead man. Goodbye, Shepard.”

The hologram blinked out and the countdown started. Alenko leapt into action, opening the cover and he seemed to know what to do, which was good. I’d had some training at disarming bombs, but not nuclear weapons. I could step aside and let someone with more knowledge to deal with it.

He managed to disarm it rather quickly, plenty of time still on the clock. We wasted no time trying to find an escape, the tunnel we’d come down having caved in. Alenko managed to open another lock, finding a second passage that eventually led us all the way to the surface. There was no sign of our team but we heard fighting in the distance. We headed in that direction, eventually finding my colleagues battling what looked like a small army.

“Nice of you to join us, Shepard,” Wrex muttered.

“Sorry, got caught up down below. It was a trap.”

“Spirits, only you, Shepard,” Garrus joked.

“Who are we dealing with?” Liara wondered.

“The man responsible for Elysium.” They all fell silent. “Name is Elanos Haliat. He is mine.” Taking out the sniper rifle I rarely used, I managed to locate him. “You lot press forward. I’ll cover you from here. Once he’s isolated, I will deal with him myself.”

I observed as my team pushed forward, slowly but surely taking out all of Haliat’s men. He was taking cover and I was simply waiting for him to give me a big enough target. Checking the wind, the elevation, taking everything into account, he eventually gave me the target I was looking for, pulling the trigger, putting a bullet through his shoulder. He collapsed to the ground, now completely exposed. I put a second bullet in other shoulder, then one into his leg so he didn’t even think about moving.

Packing up my rifle, I took out my assault rifle and helped mop up the last mercenaries. They’d fought well but could not withstand the forces at my disposal. With Haliat groaning a few metres away, I called my team over. “Head towards the Mako and wait for me to return. I will deal with Haliat alone.”

No-one dared argue. They all knew what happened on Elysium, who I’d lost. “We’ll wait until you return, sir,” Ashley stated, she and Alenko coming to attention and saluting.

As they walked away in the opposite direction, I slowly walked towards Haliat, but now trying to crawl on his back away from me. “You can’t do this!” he cried.

Taking off my helmet, I made sure he could see my face, particularly my eyes, as I closed the distance between us. Stepping onto the wound in his left shoulder, I’ll admit the scream he released filled me with joy, making sure I pressed down nice and hard.

I eventually sat down on his chest, taking out my pistol and putting it into his mouth. “You know you killed her, Haliat. You killed Annie. I always said I would eventually find the person responsible for Elysium, and when I found that person, I was going to kill them. I’ve already put three bullets in you. One more, then I’ll cut your head off.”

He tried to mumble something, so I removed the pistol to hear it. “You can’t do this! It’s not right!”

That just made me laugh. “First of all, what you did to Elysium wasn’t right. What you did to me was always going to come back on you. Secondly, I’m a Spectre, pretty much answerable to no-one. At moments like this, I can’t help but appreciate the freedom that gives me when dealing with sacks of shit like you. Now, open wide…”

Putting the pistol into his mouth again, I simply met his eyes, smiled, thought of Annie… and pulled the trigger. His brains splattered out of the back of his head, standing up over his body, and putting another couple of bullets into his face for good measure. I was tempted to cut off his head and take it as a souvenir, but I think that would have been overkill. No, what I did do was find something to burn his body with, sitting back against the crate as I watch the flames consume him.

The Mako stopped nearby, everyone piling out as they approached me. I simply watched the flames before I remembered something, unclasping my chest armour and reaching into the pocket underneath. I took out the photo and felt the smile form before I brought it to my lips and kissed it.

“That was for you, Annie,” I whispered. I kissed it again before placing it back in my armour. I’d always carry her with me. Killing Haliat did make me feel better, I won’t lie about that. But it wouldn’t bring her or anyone else back. But vengeance was now served. The man responsible was cooking nearby and I’d been the one to put the bullet, or bullets, into his head.

“Ready to go, Commander?” Alenko asked.

I’d sensed they’d formed nearby but I was too busy thinking, glancing their way. All of them, even Wrex, came to attention and saluted. “With you all the way, Shepard,” Garrus stated.

“Until the end,” Tali added.

Ashley stepped forward, offering her hand to help me up. “How do you feel?” she wondered.

“Righteous,” I said, “The bastard responsible lies dead. Annie Stewart now rests easy.”

“You really loved her, didn’t you?”

I met her eyes so she could see mine. “She was the one, Ash. Ever felt that?” She shook her head. “I knew the moment we met, I wanted to be with her forever. Haliat took that from me. I carry on as before but I can now sleep at night, knowing Annie will look down on me, smiling at what I’ve just done for her.”

“Guess we should head back to the Normandy then?”

“Aye. We’re finished here, and we have bigger fish to fry now. Time to head to Noveria.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the game, Elanos Haliat appears as a human but was meant to be a turian, a mistake in design. So I made the change so some of the dialogue makes sense.


	10. Book 1, Chapter 10 - Cold Heat

After dropping Helena off on the Citadel, writing her a letter supporting whatever she wanted to do, suggesting she approach the Alliance. She thanked me for believing in her, sharing a last kiss on the docks, before she disappeared into the crowd. She was one of those women that I knew I’d see again in the future. We were like moths to a flame.

We were now on our way to Noveria after all the delays we’d experienced. Still no idea what had become of Saren. The fact all had gone quiet should have been a concern, but I was left thinking if he’d managed to find the Conduit and achieve what he wanted, the galaxy would know about it. So I still lived in hope that, once we sorted out the issues on Noveria, we’d find evidence of where Saren was.

On route, I sat down with Liara to discuss her relationship with Benezia, and also just to reassure her that her place in my team wasn’t in dispute, and I would trust her to make the right choice if we did meet her mother, whether on Noveria or if we met her at a later date. I think my reassurance certainly helped make her feel a little better about things, though she did ask, “What will you do if we were to find her?”

“I haven’t made that choice yet. If she forces my hand, I have no orders to bring her in alive. If she proves to be co-operative, then I’ll admit I don’t particularly want to kill her if we don’t need to.” She sighed with relief. “I’m not a complete bastard, Liara.”

Her face fell. “Oh no, Shepard, I didn’t mean…” She noticed the smirk on my face, now recognising I was joking.

“Look, I know I’ve probably done one or two things that would concern a few people, but I’ll put it like this. If I think someone deserves to die, they’re going to die. Haliat definitely deserved to die. I don’t particularly believe in summary justice, playing the role of judge, jury and executioner, but I will admit that being a Spectre has given me a certain freedom. So Haliat was always going to die, and one or two others we’ve met so far, putting a bullet in them was the easiest way to deal with it.”

“You’ve also done many good things from what I’ve seen,” she stated with a small smile.

“Well, as I said, I’m not a complete bastard.”

That made her giggle. “Can I ask… a favour?” I knew what she was going to ask, but I nodded for her to continue. “When we finally confront my mother… If I can’t save her, I want to be the one to do it.” That definitely made my eyes widen in surprise. “She is my mother, Shepard. And if she must die, I want it to be at my hand.”

“If that’s the case, you cannot hesitate, Liara. If I give the order, it must be done immediately.”

“I understand, Shepard.”

“But we don’t know where she is, so for now, just keep it in the back of your mind. Let’s just focus on Noveria and whatever is going on there.”

“Of course, Shepard.”

Entering orbit around Noveria, everyone had the specs of the planet. Home to numerous research stations. Completely snowbound and practically frozen. Completely uninhabitable, a good reason to do some rather interesting research. Given the secretive nature of what occurred on the planet, visitors were rarely if ever allowed. However, being a Spectre granted certain privileges. I could go where I wanted, though only within reason.

On approach, Joker was hailed by Noveria traffic control, warning us our ship was being tracked by defence systems and to immediately state the reason of our business. Placing a hand on his shoulder, I replied. “This is Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy and Council Spectre. My presence has been authorised as per the agreement between the local authority and the Citadel Council. However, I will add, should you not permit my docking on your planet, I will return with an entire Alliance fleet, and that will only lead to further complications for yourself.”

There was silence for at least a minute as I ordered Joker to keep on our approach. If they dared fire…

_“Your docking has been authorised, Commander Shepard. Standard docking procedures apply, proceed to bay five. Security will process you on arrival to check your credentials.”_

“Understood.”

My team was already standing by the door to leave, so once Joker had the ship in position, the docking bay arm attaching itself, I didn’t have to give any orders now. My team know what was required and expected of them. I just figured the mission was going to be a complete pain in the arse, considering our arrival.

Stepping off the _Normandy_, even with our armour, you could feel the cold seep through. Taking the lead, no-one was armed just yet, not wanting to get into a fight straight away. I was expecting a welcoming committee, not surprised we found one waiting for us only a few metres away from the ship. There was at least half a dozen, two human females, couple of turians, even a couple of salarians. The one in charge, an Asian woman I assumed from appearance, asked us to stop. “This is an unscheduled arrival. I need your credentials.”

“You first.”

“We’re the law here. Show some respect,” the blonde next to her spat.

I smirked as I met her eyes. She was an angry young thing. “Respect is earned, not given.”

The one who asked for our credentials ignored her colleague, returning a brief nod. “Very well. I am Captain Maeko Matsuo, Elanus Risk Control Services.”

“What do you reckon, LT? I outrank her?” I asked.

“Well, it would depend on which rank you chose to use, Commander. Using your Alliance rank, I’m not sure. But considering you’re a Spectre, you pretty much outrank everyone on this planet.”

“Thanks, LT.” Looking back at the captain, I said, “That suffice?”

She smirked, realising the game I was playing. “I’m sorry, but I cannot allow your entry without confirming your identity. Sergeant Starling, secure their weapons.”

“You’re not seriously that stupid, are you?” I asked, obviously rhetorical, as the six of them soon had more weapons aimed at them before they’d managed to do anything. “Look, I don’t care who you are or what rules you have. I’m not giving you my gun. Or guns.”

“They’ll only be prying them from my cold, dead hands,” Wrex muttered.

“Looks like we have a stand-off,” Matsuo stated, “As I cannot let you proceed.”

Before it descended into a firefight… In fact, it would have been murder, since only the two turians had managed to draw their weapons, a frantic voice soon echoed over the comm. _“Captain Matsuo, stand down! We have confirmed their identity. Spectres are authorised to carry their weapons here, Captain.”_

I noticed the deep breath Matsuo took. “You may proceed, Spectre,” she said, a small bow of her head, “I hope the rest of your visit will be less confrontational. Parasini-san will meet you upstairs.”

“Best behave yourself,” her blonde colleague warned. I just gave her another smile, laced with no end of sarcasm, which caused her face to fall further.

“Okay, the blonde is a mega bitch,” Ashley muttered, to the amusement of the others.

We wandered inside and could see the wealth and technology on display. I would have called some of the design and features on display brash, even ostentatious, and this was just the reception area. God knows what the rest of the place would look like.

Walking through the security area, alarms starting to ring and I wasn’t the only one to groan. Thankfully they stopped blaring within a couple of seconds, as a very attractive brunette appeared from a back room on the opposite side of the desk. “Apologies for the introduction, Commander. Welcome to Port Hanshan. I am Gianna Parasini, assistant to Administrator Anoleis. I hope you won’t judge us in regards to your… introduction at the docking bay.”

Italian, definitely Italian blood was flowing through her veins. Her skin colour alone spoke volumes. She had dark hair, dark eyes and… She was definitely of Italian heritage; her accent didn’t particularly give any indication of where she was from, so heritage, not actually from the Mediterranean. And I knew I was staring, as she started to… not look uncomfortable, I’d never made a woman feel that, but I was probably staring. “Um, no problem, Miss Parasini,” I finally managed to get out of my mouth.

“One of my roles is to generally meet any arrivals, Commander. What brings you to Noveria?”

“What’s with the friendly welcome?” I wondered, “I mean, I’m used to being shot at, but this was something else.”

“The Executive Board does everything in its power to protect the privacy of our client corporations.”

Stepping forward to lean across the desk, leaning forward as she did the same. “Gianna, though I appreciate that, considering what I’m here to investigate, I may ruffle some feathers.”

“Just… Be careful, Shepard…” I noticed the immediate use of my name. I managed to hide the smile. “Our lawyers are… Well, you’ll need a team of asari lawyers just to deal with the paperwork.”

“Only one other question, then I’ll move on.” She nodded, so I asked, “Anyone unusual pass through recently?”

“Hmmm. Depends on what you mean by unusual. We were visited by an asari matriarch a few days ago. Introduced herself as Lady Benezia.”

“Benezia?” Liara asked, immediately stepping next to me, “She’s here?”

“We need to speak with her, Miss…”

“Please, call me Gianna, Shepard.”

I heard Wrex start to laugh behind me at the tone. I ignored him and her tone for now. “Gianna, has Lady Benezia departed Noveria?”

“As far as I’m aware, no. Lady Benezia left for Peak 15 research complex quite a while ago now and, to the best of my knowledge, she is still there.”

“How do I get to Peak 15?”

She looked around before leaning forward again, gesturing for me to lean closer. “You will need the administrator’s approval to gain clearance, Shepard. And, trust me on this one, he’s an arsehole. He won’t co-operate. That’s all I can tell you for now. If you need anything else, I’ll be outside his office. Take my warning. Be careful. It’s the wild west out here.” Then she leaned back, gave me a smile, before turning and walked away. I definitely watched her. That arse was on fire, the dress highlighting all those Italian curves.

“Shepard?” Alenko asked.

“Huh?” Even he chuckled to himself as I turned around. “Oh, right… Ummm….” I glanced at Liara, who looked like her entire world had fallen apart. “Liara?”

“I can’t believe she’s here, Shepard.” Meeting my eyes, she was pleading with me to do… something. I’m not sure what, but…

For once, I couldn’t find the words, but I knew what to do. Stepping forward, I gave her a hug, feeling her hug me back straight away. “I trust you,” I whispered, feeling her squeeze me tight upon those words.

“I just want to speak with her, Shepard,” she said quietly, “See if I can reach her. I know in her heart she still loves me.”

“I certainly won’t leave you behind, Liara. Your place is alongside the rest of us.”

She leaned back to smile at me, before leaning up to give me a soft kiss on the lips. She’d never kissed me before. “Thank you for believing.” We looked at each other in silence before Garrus cleared his throat.

“This is nice and all, but we have places to investigate, people to kill…”

“Oh, look at Captain Awkward get all smart now,” I retorted.

“Hey, that’s not…” The turian trailed off. “Damn it, Shepard. Captain Awkward now?”

“I love you really, Garrus. As for the rest of you, we’ll do what we normally do, but I have a feeling we will be watched like hawks.”

“What’s a hawk?” Tali asked, to the amusement of the humans.

“Are they tasty?” Wrex wondered. That caused further chuckles as we moved ahead.

As we moved on, the team talked amongst themselves as usual, and I heard plenty of teasing about me and Gianna. No surprise as it was obvious I found her attractive. Very attractive. Wrex was blunt as usual, while even the women who’d made it clear they wanted to be intimate with me joked about me wanting to be with another woman. That’s when I turned around and said, “Well, I’ve run up a few numbers already.”

“Good things STDs are mostly a thing of the past, Shepard,” Ashley said.

Wandering around the port, it was obvious there was plenty of money. Crowds of businessmen were hanging around making deals, the three Council races along with plenty of humans in groups, apparently making deals or organising whatever they did on this planet. That’s when I stopped and had the team split up into groups, simply to get the lie of the land and figure out if there was a geth presence, and how we got out of Port Hanshan.

I asked my two asari colleagues to remain with me as the rest disappeared, making a beeline straight for Anoleis, agreeing to meet up in the waiting room outside his office. Gianna was sitting at her desk outside his office, and I noticed the small smile that appeared as I walked towards her. I seemed to have that effect at times. I would use that my advantage if I could.

“Any chance I could speak with Anoleis?” She immediately asked the question, the administrator proving to be somewhat co-operative, allowing me through without question.

The first thing I noticed upon entering was the pair of gun turrets, one to the left, one to the right. I should have expected a salarian, walking slowly ahead, keeping my hands away from my weapons. Didn’t want to give him an excuse. I stood in front of him, Shiala one step behind to the left, Liara to the right.

“Your reputation precedes you, Commander, but I don’t care who you are or where you are from.” I simply smirked as he added, “Only a fool enters negotiation without knowledge of the other party’s tendencies.”

“Negotiation? What are we negotiating?”

He ignored my question. “My greeting is a courtesy only, Commander. I would only co-operate as required by the Executive Board.”

“Friendly bunch, aren’t you?”

He snorted. “We’re not here to make friends, Commander. Businesses come here to avoid the second-guessing of galactic law.”

Now I took a seat opposite him, making sure he looked me in the eyes. I didn’t want to ask about Benezia straight away. I wasn’t sure he would know I knew she was planet side. So I thought I’d throw a curveball. “Do you do business with the disgraced Spectre Saren Arterius?”

“What? Disgraced?”

“Yes, exactly that.”

“He is a major investor in Binary Helix corporation, which is one of Noveria’s backers.”

“Remember that name, Liara.”

“I’m taking down any relevant information as you converse, Shepard.”

“Good. So, Administrator, I believe Lady Benezia is currently planet side. She is a person of interest regarding a current Spectre investigation. Do you know where she is?”

“She arrived a few days ago, accompanied by a personal escort and some cargo. She is up at Peak 15.”

I’m sure the three of us realised that Peak 15 was central to any plans she was involved in, and we definitely had to get there sooner rather than later. But I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be easy as I hoped it would be. The salarian was being co-operative for now but I knew that wasn’t going to last long. As soon as I asked the wrong question, he was going to shut up before telling me to piss off.

I asked a few questions about Benezia and her entourage, but the more questions I asked, the shorter his responses, and I knew his patience was running thin. So was mine, but I needed their co-operation, otherwise I’d just have to start shooting up the place, and I didn’t particularly want to do that just yet. Any request to visit Peak 15 was denied immediately, claiming not only was there a blizzard that would stop us getting there, but that it was private and therefore off-limits. I felt like invoking Spectre authorisation, but I figured if I did that, he’d definitely tell me to piss off.

The one thing he did admit to, which I think he immediately regretted, was that she was here as Saren’s executor and in regards to Binary Helix business. Apparently there were issues at Peak 15 which needed their guidance. No idea what that meant, but it was something to investigate. I wasn’t getting anywhere, so after begrudgingly thanking the administrator, I headed out.

Walking past Gianna, I heard her chuckle to herself. “You’ve never worked in the corporate world, have you, Commander?” Stopping and turning towards her, she was sat at her workstation, though looked up as I approached. “Shepard, you cannot bludgeon your way through bureaucracy.”

“Can’t I just shoot him and be done with it?”

“While you could, it won’t end well for you, Spectre or not.” She leaned forward, gesturing for me to do the same. “Shepard, I have a name. Lorik Qui’in. You’ll find him in the hotel bar.”

“Why?” I asked, a simple question.

“Anoleis isn’t the only one with a pass out of Port Hanshan.”

So I needed a pass to leave? Excellent, and I could have kissed her for the good news. Instead, I thanked her and we headed out, meeting everyone else in the main foyer. Letting me know what they’d discovered, apparently there had been an accident at Peak 15 that was being covered up, and no-one had missed the fact Lady Benezia had arrived, flanked by a near army of asari commandos.

We found Lorik Qui’in in the hotel bar, hearing plenty of comments when we’d entered the reception about spending a night or two in the hotel once we were done on Noveria. I could understand why as just the reception area was gorgeous, another sign of the money on the planet. The bar itself seemed to stock every spirit that could be found across the galaxy, though the beer was standard. Couple of human, turian and asari brands, though some of the most expensive possible.

Lorik was sitting by himself in a corner table, keeping an eye on the patrons but obviously bored and quite clearly on his way to being drunk. He looked up as we approached, and he stared to chuckle. “Well, well, well, the human Spectre decides to come talk to me. What have I done to deserve this?”

Not wanting to waste time, I replied, “I need a garage pass to get out of here towards Peak 15. I’ve been told you could help.”

Lorik gestured for me to take a seat and explained his predicament. He worked for Synthetic Insights but had been accused of corruption by Anoleis. Funnily enough, the administrator had become rather rich himself since he took control of the rents. I wasn’t the only one to think that was one hell of a marvellous coincidence. The good news is that Lorik had evidence of his corruption. The bad news is that the evidence was in his old office, currently under lock and guarded by some of the guards we’d already run into. What he needed was for us to retrieve the evidence and he would then give us a garage pass so we could move on.

“You have a deal,” I stated.

“A word of warning, Commander. Anoleis is paying some of the ERCS guards under the table to help him. Captain Matsuo is not aware. If, or when, it becomes violent, you will need to explain for her to understand what has transpired. I, of course, will help where I can.”

I split the team up again. “Alenko, take Tali and Ashley, keep watch near the office of Anoleis. If he makes a move, let me know. The rest of you are with me. I know something is going to go tits up and would like numbers on my side for now.”

There was an immediate agreement, the rest of us heading upstairs towards Lorik’s office. Inside, we found ERCS guards basically ransacking the place. We were already armed, so when I cleared my throat and turned around, I made a subtle gesture for no-one to fire. Yet.

“Want to explain what you’re doing here?” The four of them shared a glance. “Look, I know you’re here under the orders of Anoleis, so I’ll make this easy for you. If you piss off now, dropping your weapons as you go, I’ll forget I ever saw you here. Don’t do that, and you’ll be leaving in body bags.”

It’s amazing how easily some people will co-operate with you, weapons quickly dropped on the ground, my group standing apart as the four guards walked through, keeping watch until they’d boarded and descended in the elevator.

Four of them chose to leave peacefully. The rest chose to fight. Might have been a dozen of them or so. Even with three colleagues’ downstairs, they were nowhere good enough to take on hardened warriors. We took a lick or two, I won’t deny that. Even guards are somewhat trained and shields can fail. Nothing too concerning, but it was a reminder that bullets can still kill.

After downloading the information required on an OSD, I was hoping we’d be able to just walk out without a hassle, considering the bodies that now lay on the ground around the building. But the blonde woman who had been part of the team that met us after docking was waiting by the elevator, noticing the smirk on her face as we slowly approach her.

“I don’t think you’re supposed to be in here, Shepard.”

“I don’t think you or any of these people were meant to be here either.”

“Are you always a smartarse?”

“When conversing with cunts like you? Definitely. I usually wipe shit like you off the underside of my boot.”

She looked around, no doubt noticing the bodies, betting that most were colleagues, perhaps friends. No wonder her eyes narrowed when she looked back at me. “Anoleis would throw you off world for what you did here. I won’t. You know what we did to cop killers on my world?”

Gesturing around, I retorted, “I hesitate calling any of these arseholes ‘cops’. Seen plenty of dead mercenaries before though. Now I’m getting plenty of reminders.”

“You’re breaking the law for bribe money. You know what we do to dirty cops on my world?” Wrex added, and I knew he was just itching to start blasting.

It wasn’t what I would call a standoff, simply a case of who would blink first. I withdrew my pistol and fired three times. The first two bullet impacted her shields, the first causing them to drop to half, the second causing them to fail. The third entered her forehead, flying out the back of her head, watching her body drop like a stone. “Cunt,” I stated as I slid into cover as my own shields took a couple of hits.

I’ll admit we slaughtered the few guards who were with her. No doubt they were all dirty, so I certainly wasn’t going to lose any sleep over it. They numbered the same as us, but they were out-gunned, out-armoured, and out-smarted. Liara, as desperate as she was to reach Benezia, wasn’t going to throw her life away, and I wasn’t the only one to notice Shiala try and protect her at the same time. I knew Shiala had questions of her own for Benezia, though had kept her own thoughts to herself for now. As for Wrex, finding himself in a small room with enemies, I could hear his laughter over the gunshots, eventually just leaving him to mop up the rest. Having a massive krogan as an ally is a help at times.

Soon as the last body dropped, we made haste and left the office, boarding the elevator and getting as far away as possible. I knew cameras probably saw the whole thing but what would they actually do to a Spectre? I actually welcomed their attempt at trying to make me leave. And if they impounded the _Normandy_, that would be an effective declaration of war.

Of course, as soon as we left the elevator, I’d expected a whole load of guards. Instead, only Parasini was waiting of us, walking straight towards me. The smirk told me everything. “Commander,” she stated formally, “There have been reports of noise from the Snythetic Insights offices. Would you know anything about it?”

She made a gesture which I understood immediately. “I’m not sure about noise but I think there are a few bodies that need retrieving, Miss Parasini. Seems Port Hanshan is just filled with thugs and criminals.”

She couldn’t help smile before stepping close to me. “Meet me at the hotel bar,” she said quietly, “Before you meet with Qui’in.” Before I could reply, she turned and strode away quickly.

“So, you fucking her next, Shepard?” Wrex asked from behind, to the chuckles of a few others.

“Thinking about it already.”

“Bet you are.”

Heading towards the hotel bar, I gestured for everyone else to make themselves scarce as I walked to the bar first, gambled on what she liked to drink, before approaching her table. She smiled, noticing the glass of wine I brought with me. Sliding the glass over, she grabbed it, though definitely ran her fingers along mine. “I took a guess and figured you would like red.”

“You guessed correctly, Shepard. You’re drinking…?”

“Bourbon on the rocks. Most people like a mixer. All I need is some ice.” We sipped our drinks in silence before I added, “Okay, Gianna. Level with me here. You’re no mere receptionist or assistant. I know someone close to Anoleis might know a bit but you are far too in the know to… you know…”

She couldn’t help the smile. “Gianna Parasini, Noveria Internal Affairs.”

“Internal Affairs? So he is dirty?”

“The Executive Board knows about Anoleis’ corruption. I’ve been undercover for six months.”

“Okay, fair enough. But I’m assuming you wanted to meet with me before I spoke to Lorik for a reason.”

“You assume correctly, Shepard. I want to convince him to testify before the Board. With his evidence, this planet will start turning profits again.”

“I suppose Anoleis keeps himself clean?” She nodded. “Guess someone like him wouldn’t be a complete moron.” She nodded again. “Okay, fair enough. But the reason I’m helping Lorik is…”

She leaned closer, running her fingers over the top of my hand. “Shepard, I know what you need. You help with my investigation, I’ll give you whatever you need. Favour for a favour.”

“But you know what I need so… Once all this is done, dinner and drinks.”

Her laughter caused me to smile. “Had you figured from the moment I laid eyes on you, Shepard.”

“What can I say? My weakness are pretty ladies such as yourself.”

She leaned across the table and kissed my cheek. “You have yourself a date, Commander. As long as you get Lorik to testify.”

“Easy. I’ll go sort it out now.”

Heading upstairs to speak to Qui’in, he was surprisingly easy to convince. Granted, he would have rather avoided a spectacle, but he was chafing at the bit to take down Anoleis, and once I appealed to that turian sense of honour they all had, it didn’t take much for him to agree to terms. I think he agreed with a heavy heart, in the sense he really would have rather done this all under the radar, but as long as he got his job back and Anoleis went down for his crimes, he was happy.

I gathered my team before heading back to Gianna, as I was a little worried Anoleis would go down swinging, or at least firing. He wasn’t a moron, but I figured someone like him wouldn’t like going to prison, nor would he last very long. She was happy to hear the news about Lorik, then slid a hand under her dress to retrieve a small pistol. She definitely did that as it gave me ample opportunity to check out her rather nice legs. She noticed me look at smile. “Want to back me up?”

“God yes,” I replied quietly, taking out my pistol.

Staying close behind her, we entered Anoleis’ office. I thought he would have done something stupid, but Gianna moved fast, rounding his desk and grabbing him by the back of the neck. Reading him his rights, the salarian wouldn’t shut up so I stepped forward and smacked him across the jaw, practically knocking him out. He could still walk but he was rather groggy as Gianna lifted him up.

Cuffing his wrists, we hauled him up and led him outside before Gianna said she’d handle him. “I’ll meet you in a couple of hours, Shepard. Hotel bar?”

“I’ll be waiting.”

“Good. Just need to get this piece of shit processed. It’ll take a while considering the list of crimes he’s committed.”

Once she departed, I turned to my team. Wrex was chuckling to himself, shaking his head. Alenko also had a slight grin on his face. “Okay, we’ve been here nearly all day so no point heading to Peak 15 until tomorrow. As there are no shuttles, we’ll have to secure transport and drive there. Until we leave, you’re free to do what you want.”

“Reckon the Alliance will front a night in the hotel?” Ashley wondered.

“Considering we’re here on a mission of galactic importance, if anyone wants a night in the hotel here, I’ll make sure it’s paid for.”

“And you, Shepard?” Garrus wondered.

“We’ll see how things go, Garrus. We’ll see how things go.”

Most of them headed back to the _Normandy_ to dump their things and change. I did the same thing, though I didn’t have much in the way of casual clothes. Even when back on the Citadel, I generally wore the blues of the Alliance. We all headed back to the hotel bar, most joining me at the bar to start. I noticed Wrex and Alenko disappeared to the lift together, so it was easy to figure out what they were up to.

I took a seat away from the crowd, Gianna strolling in when I was on my second drink. She’d changed into a figure hugging dark dress, with a lot more of her olive skin on show, and she’d definitely fixed her hair. I stood up as she walked towards me, kissing her cheek when she leaned forward. “Love the perfume,” I said, “And you definitely look stunning.”

“And you certainly look rather smart out of your armour, Shepard.”

“Drink?” She nodded as I waved over the waiter, just ordering the bottle instead of a glass. Sitting down, I added, “I haven’t ordered any food yet. I figured you might have a better idea what’s available here.”

“I can recommend one or two things, Shepard, but I’ll be honest. I’ve already eaten. I’m here for another reason.”

“Oh, and that is?”

“Let’s just say I hope you haven’t booked a room tonight. You won’t need it.”

I couldn’t help smile. “So where will I be staying?”

“Well, I’m hoping you will be waking up in my bed tomorrow morning.”

“That quickly?”

It was her turn to chuckle. “Shepard, I knew what you were thinking about me around a minute after you walked into the office.”

“And you?”

“Let’s just say I’ve done some reading since you arrived. Add that to the fact you’re just… Well, I can’t wait to get that shirt off.” I downed my drink, causing her to laugh. “I still have my bottle.”

“I’m sure they’ll let us take it.”

They did, and grabbing her hand, we walked rather quickly towards the row of cabs that took us to the nearby residential complex. Her apartment was nothing special, as she admitted, but I didn’t care about her apartment. Soon as I kicked her apartment door closed, we were all over each other, the kiss we started only stopping so she could place the bottle on the table before we continued, quickly moving into her bedroom as clothing was removed.

Her hands running down my back then my chest, she broke the kiss to state, “Damn, you look after yourself, Shepard.”

“Have to considering the line of work I’m in.”

She quickly found one or two bullet wounds but was smart enough not to ask questions, at least not then in that moment. I ran my hands over her body at the same time, smooth, supple skin that could only be caressed softly and enjoyed. “I take it you approve, Shepard?”

We ended up on her bed, deftly removing her blue bra. Her skin was the same colour, her nipples only slightly darker. My mouth immediately went to one of her nipples, one of her hands running around the back of my head, hearing her gasp as I tugged at it with my teeth before playing with it, switching quickly to her other one, causing her to giggle.

Kissing down her body, I quickly removed her blue panties, always appreciating a woman who wore matching underwear. The fact she’d shaved her pussy was a slight surprise when she spread her legs, and I’ll admit I licked my lips when the light shone on her sex, and it was obvious she was wet. “You look hungry, Shepard,” she whispered, meeting her eyes, wild with lust and desire. I’m sure mine looked the same.

Lowering my mouth, I tasted her for the first time, hearing her gasp when my tongue teased her entrance, before she released a long moan. And that’s all I did. Teased her there, licked her folds, and generally avoided her clit for the time being, only touching that when I knew she was getting close. She seemed to realise what I was doing, simply enjoy eating her out, eventually shuffling back slightly so she was sitting up a little bit, feeling one of her hands caress my head.

“My god, Shepard,” she breathed.

I lifted my head a moment. “Good thing I love doing this, right?”

“All night?” I nodded. “Well, I will want something else later.”

I smiled before lowering my mouth, watching her head roll back as I continued to tease her. Wrapping a hand around on her thighs, I upped the tempo, no longer teasing her, now wanting to bring her to orgasm. Hearing her breathing change, and the number of moans increase, I knew she was slowly approaching an orgasm. When she breathed my name before gasping, I knew she was getting very close. I was now rock hard, and was ready to fuck her, knowing I’d probably last two minutes once I was inside her. But I wanted to make her cum first.

Switching to her clit, that drove her wild, her body bucking against me as she begged me to keep going. I loved it when a woman begged me to keep eating her out, as that told me I was doing something right at least. She started to squeeze my head with her thighs, so I knew she was getting every so close, my hands now wrapped around a thigh each as I was now relentless, mixing up using my tongue on her clit and everywhere else.

She finally cried out and yelled she was cumming, feeling her squeeze my head even tighter as I did not even think about stopping. She yelled, cursed and moaned before she finally relaxed, but if she thought I was done, she was about to find out I wasn’t. She was lying back, her body quivering, finally lifting her head off the pillow. “God, Shepard, are you…” She trailed off as her body shuddered again.

“I’m going to make you beg me to stop,” I said quietly before lowering my mouth again.

“No wonder they all like you,” she moaned as she prepared herself for another one.

She had five before she had to cry enough. You read that right, five. By then, my jaw was beyond aching but it was completely worth it, leaving her a sweaty, tired mess on the bed. Gently kissing up her body, our eyes finally met and she couldn’t help giggle. “I thought you’d just fuck me and go,” she admitted.

“And turn down what I’ve just done? I’d have been a colossal idiot.”

“I’m going to need a few minutes, Shepard. I’m a little worn out.”

“Take your time.”

“You can take your underwear off though.” Once I did that, she exclaimed, “Holy shit!”

“What?”

“I just wasn’t… Damn…” Lying on my side, she turned onto hers to face me. “Five minutes, Shepard. Then you’re fucking me with that thing.” I couldn’t help smirk. “Guess you get compliments?”

“One or two.”

She scoffed. “One or two? The only question I have is if you know how to use it?”

“I like to think I do.” I leaned closer to hear ear. “I love it when a woman rides me.”

“Later,” she whispered back, “I need you to fuck me first. Just… own my pussy, Shepard.”

“I won’t be gentle if you tell me that.”

She grabbed the back of my head, dragging me forward for a kiss. “Oh, I’m telling you to ruin my pussy, Shepard.” I couldn’t help chuckle as I pulled her close, feeling her relax as I held her. “You’re not making this easy, you know…”

“How do you mean?”

“I was just expecting you to fuck me and go, as I said. But you’re being all…” She leaned back. “The guys here are pathetic, Shepard. And I’m not just talking about what’s between your legs. Businessmen are too focused on other things to worry about women. The guards are dickless. Anyone else is just a loser, and I simply don’t do anything with women. Honestly, my vibrator has seen more action than anything since I got here.”

Rolling her onto her back, I gently slid my cock inside her, watching the smile form on her face as I buried myself in one smooth, slow motion. She shuffled underneath me, getting herself comfortable, before she met my eyes. “Okay, I loved what you did earlier but, fucking hell, Shepard…”

“Good?”

That made her laugh. “Good, he asks?!”

So I started out slowly and gently to start, leaning down to kiss her, feeling her hands run up my arms, over my shoulders before her fingers started to dig into my back. She felt wonderful, and part of me didn’t particularly want to pick up the tempo too fast, but I knew I wasn’t going to last long this first time. I did warn her about that, which simply made her giggle, assuring me that she would certainly understand, and we would definitely go again rather quickly. She wasn’t wrong about that.

Lifting herself up, she wrapped her legs around me, leaving them loose so I could still get a good thrust into her. She was quickly begging for it harder and faster. That I could do, amazed that she could so quickly accept what I was giving her, not that I was going to complain. As I said, she felt fantastic.

Within a few minutes, I was warning her I was close. She simply wrapped her arms and legs around me a little tighter. She didn’t need to say anything, her eyes watching mine as I felt my orgasm approach. “Fuck,” I groaned as I started to really pound into her, hearing her breathe my name at the same time. That just turned me on even more. “Oh fucking hell,” I cried out as I buried myself a final time and unloaded inside her.

“Yes, Shepard,” she breathed, feeling her entire body squeeze me all at the same time as I groaned, resting on my forearms in an attempt not to squash her beneath me.

All I could do was concentrate on my breathing and not passing out for a good minute before I met her eyes. The smile on her face spoke volumes, the soft kiss after that even more. Despite the load I’d just dropped, my cock still felt hard as a rock. It was something I’d noticed about myself over the years. I could cum two or three times before it finally softened completely.

“When are you coming back to Noveria?” she finally asked. I couldn’t help chuckle as she kissed me again. “Hey, can’t blame a girl for asking!”

“Not sure when, but if you’re ever in Council space...”

“Might have to make a trip now. Get a nice hotel room of the Presidium. Big bed. Perhaps a large tub. Room service. Sound like something you’d be interested in?”

“Long as you don’t bring a suitcase as you won’t be needing any clothes except when arriving and leaving.”

“Oh, I plan on barely being able to walk out of there if you’re with me, Shepard.”

That made me laugh loudly, finally sliding out of her and lying by her side, feeling her turn onto her side, her hand immediately resting on my chest. “Sounds like you’ll be wearing me out, Gianna.”

She didn’t waste any time sitting up and straddling me, lifting herself up to grab the base of my cock, watching as it disappeared inside her. She leaned forward to give me a soft kiss before very slowly starting to ride me, her eyes only looking into mine. “You should definitely visit me here again,” she whispered.

Running my hands down her back, eventually resting on her firm arse, I could only say, “I’ll see what I can do.”

Watching her ride my cock, eventually sitting back, resting her hands on my chest, she was a goddess, and she definitely loved it as she had another orgasm rather quickly. I’ll be honest, I barely did a thing except provide the dick. I think she was just rather turned on plus, well, I guess it hit the right bits inside her. She enjoyed a second orgasm while riding me quite quickly before she fell forward, now desperate to kiss me, seeing her forehead now shining with sweat, her eyes alive with feelings. “Fuck me,” she moaned.

Grabbing her tightly by the arse, I did exactly as she requested, kissing her hard as I drove my cock up into her. She tried to meet my thrusts to start before eventually giving up, needing to break the kiss as she cried out, “Fuck yes, don’t stop.”

“I’ll go for a while,” I warned.

All she did was reach up to grab the headboard, holding on tightly. “Fuck me, Shepard.”

We fucked like that for a little while, switching my eyes from her face to her body, before I wanted her another way, flipping her onto her back first, before I turned her onto her stomach. She knew what I wanted, immediately getting onto her hands and knees, as I slid my cock back into her. Changing my own position, she looked back and smiled as I started to really drive into her again.

“Oh, I’ll be waking up sore now,” she whispered.

I pounded her like that for a little while before wanting at least a little more intimacy, lifting her up so she rested against me. She loved that, feeling her relax against my chest, her arm curling around so it rested on the back of my head so she could turn to kiss me. “Next time, you can take my arse if you want,” she whispered.

“You like that?”

“If it’s the right man, yes.”

“And I’m the right man?”

“Shepard, I think it’s obvious we like each other.”

I held her tight, one arm around her stomach, the other grabbing her gently by a breast, my lips either on her neck or her mouth. “Definitely like you,” I whispered.

Eventually picking up the tempo, she wanted me to keep hold of her as I orgasmed, so I moved a hand down to fondle her. She couldn’t help giggle at the thought of having yet another orgasm, but when I whispered into her ear that I wanted her to cum again, I heard the catch in her voice when she said she wanted to as well. My touch of her sex was gentle, certainly gentler than how I was fucking her now, assuring her that if she didn’t cum before me, I’d make sure she did.

We didn’t quite cum together. I was first, but after I’d recovered, remaining somewhat hard inside her, I brought her off again. Once she had another orgasm, I sat back on my knees as she rested back against me, holding her in my arms. “Well, definitely made the right choice inviting you back here, Shepard.”

“Glad you did.”

“I think we need a shower.”

“Probably a good idea.”

There was a lot of making out as we showered, and I certainly took my time cleaning her, and she returned the favour. We were in there a long time and it was certainly late by the time we were back in her bed. Spooning against me under the covers, she had me hold her hands in mine, feeling her snuggle back against me. “I’ve been single a long time, Shepard,” she admitted.

“I could ask how or why but… I will admit surprise.”

“It’s the job. I can’t really get close to anyone. So… Guess I’m a bit lonely sometimes.” She paused before adding, “And that just sounds really bad, as if…”

I gave her a gentle squeeze. “I know what you meant, Gianna.”

“I’m just glad we had tonight,” she whispered.

“Me too.”

Woken by faint sunlight the next morning, she immediately turned over to kiss me, running a hand down my cheek, her dark eyes looking into mine, a slight smile in her face. “Can you visit me before you leave Noveria?”

“Absolutely.”

She shuffled forward so I could hold her, running a hand up and down her back. The tough cop act had certainly been left at the door. The only problem I had is she was now one of a number of women I’d been with recently, and I had affection for them all. Not love, not that depth of feeling. But I had really liked nearly all of them.

Having nothing in the house for breakfast, I eventually dressed in the same clothes, Gianna at least being able to put on something different, before we caught a cab back to the hotel. Most of my team was already downstairs enjoying breakfast, so I paid for Gianna and I to join them. None of them were stupid enough to ask questions, though when Wrex and Alenko appeared, I wasn’t the only one to notice the latter was walking funny, and was definitely cautious sitting down.

“Fun night?” Ashley asked.

“Hope you’ll be okay to head out later,” I added.

“I’ll be fine, Commander. Just lingering pain at the moment.”

After breakfast, we had to head back to the _Normandy_ to get ready to leave. I invited Gianna on and showed her around, and she was rather impressed with what I had at my disposal. Once my team was ready, we headed out and back to the garage, which was as far as Gianna could go with us. My team at least gave us a little privacy so I could say goodbye. I took off a glove so I could feel her skin on my palm as I cupped her face. “I enjoyed last night,” I said.

“I want another one like that soon. Be safe, Shepard.”

“I will. Have a reason to return to Port Hanshan. Never thought I’d say that!”

I gave her a gentle kiss before she took a step back. “Just so you know, I now have nothing to do. God knows what my superiors will have me doing next.”

“Want to travel on a spaceship?”

Her jaw dropped. “You’re serious?”

“I am if you’re interested.”

She definitely gave it some thought before she shook her head. “No, I’m a cop, Shepard. The idea of having you around all the time? Definitely like that. But I don’t belong in a warzone. I have a different set of skills.”

“Then I definitely have a reason to return to Port Hanshan.” I gave her a small salute. “I’ll see you soon, Gianna.”

“I’ll hold you to that one, Shepard.”

Heading out into the garage, the team were gathered around a Mako, noticing two of them were parked up. I figured, since there were two there, we’d take both of them. At least it would make our lives a little more comfortable. “Alenko, you take the second Mako. Garrus and Tali with me. Ashley, you go with Alenko as the gunner. Shiala, how are you with…”

“I can do it, Shepard.”

“Liara, you can go with Alenko, Wrex, you come with me. Alenko, all you need do is get to Peak 15 in one piece. No heroics, not if the weather is as bad as they say.”

“Of course, Commander.”

“Okay, let’s head out. With any luck, we’ll arrive in time to catch Benezia and figure out just what the hell is going on.”


	11. Book 1, Chapter 11 - Little Wing

The Mako I was driving took the lead, Garrus at the turret of the cannon, Tali looking after shields and engineering, Wrex simply a passenger for now. Alenko was following in our wheel tracks, Garrus turning the turret of the cannon every couple of minutes to check on him.

The weather was awful. Practically a blizzard, which mean seeing anything after a few feet was near impossible. The lights on the Mako were on the highest beam possible but we were still crawling along. Despite the heat of the engine, and the heating we could switch on inside the Mako, it was still freezing. I had a feeling the drive could take all day, and what made it worse was the fact geth were on Noveria.

“Commander, halt!” Garrus called. Bringing the Mako to a stop, I could hear Garrus swinging the turret. “Contacts, Commander!”

Cannon fire immediately erupted in addition to the machine gun. It only lasted a few seconds before he gave the all clear. “Can’t see shit in this weather,” I muttered.

“Doubt the geth can see us in return, Commander.”

“I’ll keep the pace low. Long as we get there alive.”

“Or maybe the blizzard will piss off,” Tali murmured to herself.

I could help chuckle. “That was almost a curse, Tali. By the time you head back to the Fleet, you’ll be calling geth pieces of shit, fucking cunts, and all manner of other curses.” That made her giggle at least.

We drove along in silence for a little while, Garrus calling out for me to stop occasionally, immediately opening for, before he called for me to start driving again. It was unbelievably tense as we simply had no idea what lay ahead, always waiting for the impact of a rocket or two. Even Wrex was quiet in the back, at least for a little while, before he started to tease me about my evening with Gianna. I just returned the favour, teasing him about Alenko.

“Yeah, might have to nip that in the bud, Shepard. He’s getting attached.”

“What, in love?”

That made him laugh. “No, not that. But this is obviously just a fling and I’m left thinking he’s going to want it to continue once we deal with Saren. I’ve already made it clear that I’m here until we do that, then I’ll find my own way.”

“You told him this?”

The krogan remained silent. “Well, not yet. I am enjoying the physical side, at least.”

The blizzard was relentless, the snowfall blinding, the temperature remained constant, in that it was freezing. I would have liked to put my foot down, but I knew the road we were following followed the side of a cliff. If I got it wrong even slightly, we’d go flying over the edge.

“You okay back there, Alenko?”

_“Can’t see shit, Commander. Following your brake lights.”_

“Any geth?”

_“No. Think you’re dealing with them first.”_

“Probably another few hours until we reach Peak 15 from the map I have.”

_“No worries, Commander. Long as we get there alive.”_

We made it to Peak 15 alive. It was impossible to know if was day or night unless we checked the time, not surprised to see the drive had taken us hours. It was more mental than physical exhaustion, the stress and tension as we simply couldn’t see the geth almost overwhelming, just waiting for that first rocket to hit. Garrus handled them quickly more often than not, and I’m sure we actually ran over more than one geth unit that had frozen in place due to the weather.

Wrex had to clamber out to open the garage door for us, Alenko and I parking the vehicles side by side before climbing out as the door shut, Wrex moaning about the weather. Apparently it was always far warmer on Tuchanka. After a quick stock of weapons and armour, we headed into Peak 15 and immediately into more geth. Whether they knew we were coming all night, I didn’t know, but one of the geth was a massive bastard.

“Heard about those things before!” Tali yelled over the gunfire, “We call them Juggernauts!”

It took plenty of tech attacks to whittle down its shields, managing to overload its weapon more often, before we could finally focus on simply filling it with bullets. The rest of the geth were simple to wipe out, but that Juggernaut too far too long. By the time we put it onto the ground, I may have walked across and given it a firm kick before calling it a few names.

The sudden silence was fill by what I assumed was the VI of the facility, and what it reported didn’t sound good. Biohazard materials were present throughout the facility, so that meant helmets would stay on for the time being. The reactors were offline. The VI itself was barely walking, the reports of damage seeming to be on a loop and only an emergency broadcast.

Exiting the garage into the facility, I wasn’t the only one to notice the gun turrets were facing towards anything leaving rather than entering the facility. It was now obvious that someone wanted to stop someone else, or some_thing_, from escaping. The fact no-one was in the guard room was a concern, and as we boarded the elevator, conversation started in regards to what we would fine.

We all assumed Benezia would still be alive. But as for any rescue mission, we had a feeling that had either gone wrong or… We’d passed their bodies on the way to the facility. The blizzard has been so blinding, we’d barely seen a thing except the geth, and that was only because they were firing at us. All we could do was investigate and find out.

Crowding onto an elevator, we headed up what seemed to be numerous levels exiting out to find windows blown out, the wind howling and snow already piling in. And the geth were waiting, Liara and Shiala firing their biotics to give us time to find cover and return fire. If there had been any doubt about Benezia bringing geth with her, they had long since disappeared. I shared the occasional glance with Liara whenever there was a moment of quiet. She didn’t meet my nor anyone else’s eyes. I didn’t really blame her, in all honesty.

The geth dead, we spread out and that’s when we heard a noise that we simply didn’t recognise. Looking up, we saw what I could only describe as a monster, yet it was eerily familiar at the same time. Wrex sniffed the air. “It’s wrong, Shepard!” he growled.

“Easy, Wrex. All we need to do is kill it.”

“Bad feeling, Shepard. Really bad feeling. And when a krogan has a bad feeling, that means things are seriously fucked up.”

God, they were ugly. And they moved fast as well. They soaked up bullets that made my jaw drop. But they were susceptible to biotics. I didn’t even have to order anyone with the ability to start using them, the two asari, Alenko and even Wrex starting to shimmer blue, the rest of us following up their attacks with bullets.

When all the monsters were dead, we gathered around a pile of them, Wrex leaning down to sniff the blood. He growled apparently without thinking, and I noticed the look in his eye. It verged on murderous. “What are you thinking, Wrex?”

“I don’t know, Shepard. And that’s what scares me. If a krogan is scared, something is seriously fucking wrong.”

“I’ll protect you, big guy,” Garrus joked.

“Long as you know where to point that rifle of yours, turian.”

“Aww, look at us, getting along,” Tali added.

Wrex gave her a look before returning a toothy grin. “Play your cards right, little one…”

Even my eyes widened at that one. Tali was immediately embarrassed as a few of us shared a look. “Oh, do tell, Wrex,” I suggested, knowing what he was referring to.

“No, it’s not my place to say, Shepard.”

“I got a good look at his cock,” Tali blurted out, to the amusement of nearly everyone else, “Keelah, it was enormous! And I watched him fuck Alenko!”

The whole room exploded into laughter, which defused some of the tension we were feeling. “Bloody hell, what a time to share that!” I stated, feeling my body shake with laughter.

Tali just shrugged her shoulders. “Look, I might come across as the innocent quarian but I’m cooped up in this suit and…”

I noticed Wrex lay a soft hand on her shoulder. “Easy, my little friend. I think they all understand why. Nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“I’m not embarrassed. I am a quarian and we are curious about everything.”

“Tali, there is nothing wrong with being curious regarding the opposite sex. Men and women often do show and tell when they are younger,” Ashley added.

I cleared my throat. “Okay, I think we should move on.”

Heading up even further, we exited into what looked like a room holding the mainframe, full of little creatures that exploded when shot, making sure each bullet I fired hit one, as when they exploded, there was no doubt they were full of acid, or at least their blood was acidic.

Heading to the central core, noticing it was called ‘MIRA’, I had tech knowledge but nothing compared to some of my colleagues. I gestured for Tali to join me as we descended into the bowels of the VI. I stood to the side and let her get to work as she attempted to manually override the system. I don’t what the hell she did, but within a couple of minutes, there was the sound of the system restarting, the floor we were standing on automatically ascending. I couldn’t help pull her in for a hug. “Well bloody done,” I stated.

I felt her arms wrap around me tightly. “Thank you,” she replied quietly. She looked up and I met her eyes behind the mask. I wasn’t dumb. I knew what she thought of me.

Once we had re-joined the others, a hologram of the system VI appeared in front of us. As soon as I mentioned I was a Spectre, the VI was rather helpful, going into great detail about the problems we faced and how we could solve them. After I asked for a damage report, the VI was full of bad news. Reactor failure. Tramway offline. Landline connections around Peak 15 itself had been cut off. The biohazard issue had yet to be contained. Basically, it was a fucking debacle and we still had a lot of work to do yet.

Asking what happened just before the VI shut down was even worse news. Stages one, two and three alerts and something called a Code Omega. That just sounded like bad news. Probably explained the monsters we’d fought earlier. Of course, when I asked about those, the VI stated that I could not access that data as only Binary Helix employees could. Figured…

With so many things to solve, I would have split the team up, but considering the reactor was offline, nothing else was working without getting that started up. So we headed down there first, as I knew something would be waiting for us down there.

Geth, of course.

After blasting them away, my tech experts managed to get the reactor back online, and we immediately headed up to fix the landline connection, so we could use the tram. More geth and monsters were waiting for us, now so used to dealing with them, they were more of a nuisance than a danger. Might sound arrogant, but when we managed to deal with the enemy with barely a shield failure, it’s bound to increase confidence.

Heading back down to the tram station, we could see more of those monsters waiting in what looked like a waiting chamber. Connecting to Mira, we asked how we could solve the issue. The VI suggested we released a five-thousand-degree Kelvin blast. That would wipe them out.

“Do it,” I ordered.

Once it was over, there was nothing left of them. Not even an atom. Opening the door, I thought there might have been a smell of cooked flesh, but they had been literally vaporised into nothing. Following a long corridor, we ended up in the tram station. It was empty and very quiet. Rather unnerving to be honest. But power had been restored, and upon boarding the tram, once we were all ready, it departed automatically.

“Think we’ll find anyone alive, Commander?” Alenko asked.

“No idea, LT. Possibly Benezia. No idea about anyone else.”

“Benezia isn’t dead,” Liara added confidently, “Though I’m left wondering just what she’s been up to here.”

“You and I both, Liara,” I stated.

There was little discussion otherwise during the journey, people simply checking weapons and armour, otherwise sitting back and enjoying a short rest before we leapt into the fire once again. Greeted by another empty, quiet station, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one wondering where everyone was. Following signs for the residential level, we ascended once again, left thinking Peak 15 was a maze, probably a deliberate design feature.

The door opened and the first thing I noticed were the trio of weapons being aimed at us, though once they recognised humans and asari, the weapons were quickly lowered. One of the humans stepped forward, introducing himself as Captain Ventralis, interested to know who I was, as well as my colleagues.

“Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy, Council Spectre. These are my colleagues.”

After introductions, he gave me a rundown of the situation. Just like at central station, this area was just as bad. Apparently those monsters had overrun the Hot Labs, whatever they were. From what the captain added, it sounded like a lot of people had already died.

Then he added a bit of information that I knew related to Benezia. An asari had recently arrived and headed into the Hot Labs and hadn’t been seen since. I don’t think that meant she was dead, but there was no doubt he meant Benezia. I didn’t ask of her name, nor did Liara. But the captain was rather co-operative, giving me a card that would take us to the Hot Labs.

As soon as I pocketed the card, more of those monsters appeared from the pipes below us. Our biotic friends dealt with them quickly, lifting or throwing them away, giving the rest of us time to take out weapons and start blasting. Ventralis and his men helped out, making sort work of the monsters, but it was clear he and his men were now at their wits end, appearing to jump at their own shadows, in definite need of a break. All the more reason to finish this as quickly as possible.

Heading back the way we’d entered, we found ourselves in another elevator, this time descending deep into the bowels of the mountain. We must have descended for a couple of minutes before the elevator dinged, all of us piling out, entering an empty room. There was a lone man sitting on a bench by himself, appearing to be in a daze, probably in shock. His eyes met mine and he didn’t appear surprised at our appearance. “Are you here to secure the situation?” he wondered.

“If by ‘secure’ you mean ‘shoot every monster I see’, sure, I’m here just for that.”

“I am certain you have strong feelings about what happened here, and it is our fault. You understand?”

“Has an asari been through here late?”

“No, I have not seen one. But that is not the important issue. You must listen so you can understand. Binary Helix found an egg. It was on a derelict ship, thousands of years drifting. This was a rachni ship. Inside they found many eggs in cryogenic suspension.”

“What?” Wrex roared, and I’m fairly sure most of my colleagues restrained him.

“Whoa, back up a second there. Rachni? His kind,” gesturing towards the rather angry krogan, “Wiped them out a thousand years ago.”

The man nodded. “That is so. Billions of lives lost in that war, on both sides.”

“So… A thousand-year-old egg managed to hatch?”

“Yes, very tough to be so long frozen. That it survived for a millennium is simply miraculous. But there is more. Binary Helix plan to clone rachni. Mass produce them. Create an army.”

“Over my dead body,” Wrex grumbled, and I think he was getting ready to start shooting.

“That is not all. There is still more to know, to understand. The egg that found? It is not any common rachni. It is a queen. After she lays eggs, they move her here to Rift Station. They are thinking that without her, they can raise the babies to be obedient.”

“Sounds like we have something else to take care of then.”

“Shepard, you can’t be…” Liara started to say.

“No! Listen, you still need to understand the rachni. They are an intelligent species. They achieved star travel. They are not animals.”

“No, they more dangerous than that,” Wrex warned.

The man nodded. “That is true. I am thinking that without a queen, rachni do not develop properly. Her mind is shaping theirs. These rachni are uncontrollable.”

“So… Do we bring the queen here?”

The man shook his head. “These rachni are beyond saving. They must be euthanized. I am thinking that the neutron purge must be set off.”

Before he could tell us anymore, rachni burst forth from below us. I’m not sure how many there were, but before I could even grab the man, the rachni were after him, one of them slamming one of their… tentacles, I guess you could call it, straight through his chest. I stumbled backwards, taking out my assault rifle and opening fire. I’m not sure how many we killed, but I think we all kept firing long after they were all dead.

Checking the man’s body, we found something that might help us, codes for the neutron purge he had mentioned. Heading to the opposite side to which we entered, we found the terminal with Mira again helping us out. “Once you activate the purge, you will have only seconds to exit before it is fired,” Mira warned.

“You guys, head back to the elevator and watch my back.”

“Vents will be opened. Contaniments will be released.”

“Definitely head back, guys. I’m going to enter the code then sprint for the elevator.”

“Are you sure, Commander?”

“I’m sure, LT. Go now.”

I waited until they’d all left before I gave Mira the authorisation code. Once I confirmed the order, I packed away my assault rifle, turned around and ran. Should have known the rachni would be waiting. I heard gunfire and the thump of biotics as I weaved my way through the monsters, Mira counting down the ten seconds. “Bloody stupid having only ten seconds!” I shouted, “Get on the fucking elevator!”

My shields failed as I ran. My armour was definitely scarred as well. By some miracle, though, I made it to the elevator, the door slamming shut and starting to ascend. We’d barely started when the elevator started to shake, hearing the explosion. “Hope we don’t crash and burn,” Wrex joked, earning groans of disapproval.

Exiting and eventually heading to where we’d first met Ventralis, there was no sign of him, so we simply moved on, though all of us remained arm. We might have killed the rachni below us but it was obvious they infested the entire place. Little wonder it had been completely cut off.

Finding Ventralis in another large room, with bedrooms and other facilities off to either side, he opened fire immediately, as did the few guards that remained alive. Even some of those dressed in civilian clothes were warmed and firing. Spreading out into cover, Ventralis figured he’d get everything off his chest, admitting he worked for Benezia and everyone had been working to clone the rachni. So I gave one order.

“Kill them all.”

Ventralis ended up sitting back against a container, blood dripping out of his mouth. Taking a knee beside him, I asked, “Where is Benezia?”

“Restricted area. Reckon she knows you’re coming too.”

“Anyone else around?”

“Few more guards. Plenty of commandos. You won’t win, Commander.”

“We’ll see,” I retorted, putting the barrel to the side of his head and blowing his brains out.

He wasn’t lying about guards, at least. They were dug in and it took quite a bit to flush them out, generally relying on those with biotics gifts to drag them out before we riddled them with bullets. A few assault drones might have been a problem, but Alenko and Tali took care of those, causing them to either overheat and explode, or simply fall to the ground, no longer functional.

If I wasn’t so pissed off about everything, I would have offered the guards a chance of simply walking away, despite the fact they were working for Benezia. They were not important, but I doubt they would have listened. They fought hard, I’ll give them that, but we stepped over their bodies, just like we had with all their colleagues.

“ERCS will need a recruiting drive after this,” Ashley muttered.

“I’m expecting an angry letter or two from some businesses at the end of this,” I added.

“Fuck ‘em,” Wrex stated.

Another elevator. I swear, I don’t think I’d travelled on so many elevators in my life, descending again to god only knows where. “Think we’ll find Benezia?” Liara asked quietly.

“Well, unless we run into more rachni, geth or whatever the fuck else is on this planet, yeah, I think Benezia is next,” I replied.

“I’m ready, Shepard.” I just met her eyes and she returned a grim nod. I knew the next few minutes were going to suck at a personal level for her, no matter what happened.

Everything was quiet as we walked off the elevator. Every corner was checked and rechecked. Every noise didn’t exactly have us flinching, but we were being extra vigilant. Couple of empty rooms, few empty corridors. Not a living soul, but I knew Benezia was close. I’d been through enough shit to know when the enemy is close. You can feel it in the air. Almost taste it.

A final door, an enormous lab, and an asari who was clearly waiting for us to arrive. I gave subtle gestures, sensing my team spread out behind me, weapons raised, as Liara walked forward to stand beside me. I noticed Benezia’s eyes move along our line before they fell on me, then Liara, before resting on me a final time.

“You do not know the privilege of being a mother. There is power in creation. To shape a life. Turn it towards happiness or despair.” She turned towards the tank, where we had our first look of the rachni queen. To call it monstrous would be an understatement. Fucking ugly, is what I’d add. “Her children were to be ours. Raised to hunt and slay Saren’s enemies.” She turned away from the tank, walking towards us, rather bravely, I might add. She appeared alone, but I knew her commandos would be lurking close by. “I won’t be moved by sympathy, no matter who you bring into this confrontation.”

“I’m here because I choose to be, mother.”

“Really? And what have you told him about me, daughter?”

“What can I say, mother? That’s you’ve gone insane? Turned evil? Should I explain how to kill you? What could I possibly say?”

“We can end this peacefully, Lady Benezia,” I added, “All you need do is surrender, tell me where Saren is, what his plans are, and no-one else needs to die. There has been enough death already.”

She was never going to accept the offer. The smirk told me what was coming. Someone should probably have shot her straight away, but I guess we had to wait and hear what she had to say, perhaps hoping she would accept. “Have you ever face an asari commando unit before? Few humans have.”

“And Liara in all of this?”

“I now realise I should have been stricter with her.”

Before I could raise my weapon to shoot, before any of us could fire a weapon, she released her biotics, holding all of us in stasis, a sign of her power. I could still move my eyes, noticing doors around us open as asari commandos flood. The stasis didn’t hold us long, not spread over all of us. Soon as we were released, we split apart and went to war.

There was little room to move and very little cover. Shields failed rather quickly. Armour was definitely left scarred. Alenko was the first one to go down, Ashley dragging him behind a container, activating his medi-gel dispenser to stem the blood flow. Garrus was the next one to go down, a bullet in the leg. I grabbed him by the collar and dragged him towards one of the doors, handing him his rifle.

I looked around for Shiala, and she was in the thick of the action, no doubt thinking of revenge. Liara was at her side, the two biotics mixing up their attacks, seeming to protect each other while attacking at the same time. Tali was behind cover, using her shotgun when she could, disabling shields when possible. I joined Ashley behind a container as we simply shot at anything in commando leathers.

“Benezia?” she wondered.

“Still thinking about it.”

“I want the bitch dead, but it’s your choice, sir.”

“She keeps this shit up and I’ll run out of patience.”

The doors opened around us, and now geth flooded in. Geth we could deal with, Tali leaping with glee as she caused one of them to practically explode, overloading the shields of another before blasting it with her shotgun, two others suffering overheating weapons, leaving them as easy pickings for the rest of us. There were a couple of commandos left, Shiala and Liara to one side, Ashley and I to the other. They were fighting hard but clearly losing.

More geth flooded in but a glance towards Benezia showed her weakening somehow. I’m not sure what she was doing, but I noticed her collapse against one of the workstations next to the rachni queen. I don’t think she’d dare release it so…

“Liara?” I called out, gesturing towards her mother.

“I could explain, Shepard, but I don’t think you’ll understand.”

Good enough excuse for me. She was weakening so hopefully won’t put up much of a fight. The commandos were now dead so now it was just focusing on the geth. How so many had ended up on Noveria boggled the mind but, having fought them so often by now, it wasn’t simple but the commandos certainly put up a longer, tougher fight.

Now it was time to deal with Benezia. I signalled for everyone to holster weapons except Liara as we walked towards the platform. Benezia met my eyes and managed to lift herself from the ground. She still had some fight in her, surprised when she confidently turned her back, looking at the rachni in the tank.

“This is not over. Saren is unstoppable. My mind is filled with his light. Everything is clear.”

“Tell me everything he’s planning, Benezia. What’s his next move?”

She glanced back with a smirk. “I will not betray him. You will… you….” She cried out and collapsed to the ground, holding the helmet on her head. Liara made to move forward but I grabbed her wrist, shaking my head. Benezia stayed on her knees for a good few seconds. It was either a good act or she truly was in agony. Her cries eventually dimmed before she turned back, and even I noticed the change in her eyes.

“Mother!” Liara cried.

“You must listen. Saren still whispers in my mind. I can fight his compulsions but only briefly. The indoctrination is strong.”

“Why now after everything that’s just happened?”

She looked at Liara before looking back to me. “I sealed a part of my mind away from the indoctrination, saving it for a moment when I could destroy him. It will not last long.”

“Indoctrination?” Liara wondered, “Is Saren brainwashing you, mother?”

“No, little wing. People are not themselves around Saren. You come to idolise him. Worship him. You would do anything for him. The key is Sovereign, his flagship. It is a dreadnought of incredible size and its power is extraordinary.”

“Hang on, the same ship that we saw on Eden Prime? How on earth did it manage to land?”

“It has a very powerful mass effect drive. But that is not Sovereign’s true power. The longer you stay aboard, the more Saren’s will seems correct. You sit at his feet and smile as his words pour into you. It is subtle at first. I thought I was strong enough to resist. Instead, I became a willing too, eager to serve.”

“So why are you here?” I asked, getting to the crux of the matter.

“He sent me here to find the location of the Mu Relay. Its position was lost thousands of years ago.”

“How do you lose a relay?”

“Four thousand years ago, a star nearby went supernova. The shockwave propelled the relay out of its system, but did not damage it. Its precise vector and speed are impossible to determine. As millennia passed, the nebula created by the nova enveloped the relay. It is difficult to find any cold object in interstellar space, particularly something swathed in hot dust and radiation.”

I looked past her at the rachni. “Let me guess…”

She glanced back a moment before nodding. “Two thousand years ago, the rachni inhabited that region of our galaxy. They discovered the relay. The rachni have a unique gift where they can share memories across generations. Queens inherit the knowledge of their mothers. I took the location of the relay from the queen’s mind. I was… not gentle.”

“Does Saren believe this Mu Relay will lead him to the Conduit?”

“He does, though he did not tell me more. I was merely a servant to his cause.”

“I need that information. Make this right.”

She walked towards me, handing over an OSD. “Everything is on here. You must find out where it is quickly as I have transmitted the details to him before your arrival.”

She took a step back before her eyes closed, her face clenched in pain, before she basically stumbled until she was against the workstation against the tank. When her eyes opened, they were the same ones that had greeted us. I wasn’t going to let her get the drop on us, and I wasn’t going to kill her.

Taking out my pistol, I put a bullet into her right leg, which caused her to drop to her knee, before putting a bullet into her left shoulder, which basically put her on her back. “Liara, look away,” I ordered as I stepped towards Benezia. No doubt she was expecting a bullet in the head. Instead, I leaned down, grabbed her by the collar, and put a fist into her jaw, knocking her out cold. “Alenko, cuff her wrists and ankles. Make sure she doesn’t move. Liara, this thing on her head, what do you think it is?”

“No idea. Could be something to do with Saren? Could even be to do with the rachni?”

As Alenko secured Benezia, that’s when the rachni queen decided she would speak to us, using one of the dead asari commandos. I’ll be honest, I didn’t really understand much of what the rachni spoke of, regarding singing and colours, but I guess it was to do with how they communicated, particularly when she mentioned ‘children’.

“Thoughts?” I asked, though in the end, it would be my decision. Only Wrex was vehement in his opposition to letting the queen live. I was surprised that nearly everyone else admitted that perhaps wiping out the rachni long ago wasn’t the right thing to do. Wrex scoffed at that, but said he would not cause a problem if I chose to let the queen live.

“I don’t know about you guys but I’ve killed enough rachni today. If you promise there will be peace, queen, if you give your word on behalf of your species, then you may live.”

“You have it.”

“Then I’m not sure about the rest of you, but I’m not prepared to be the one responsible for wiping out an entire species.” I glanced at Wrex. “You okay with that?”

“If it goes wrong, we’ll just be left to clean up the mess again.”

“We will go in peace,” the queen stated.

Walking towards the tank, the queen turned and I’m sure its eyes met mine. Opening the workstation, it didn’t take much investigation to find the control, lifting the tank up before a hatch opened, allowing the queen to escape. No idea how the hell she was going to get off Noveria, but to be honest, that wasn’t my problem. She was clearly intelligent, though. I figured she’d find a shuttle, figure out how it worked, then simply go home.

Turning to my team, I gestured towards Benezia. “Wrex, if you could the honours. The rest of you, let’s head back to Port Hanshan.”

It took a while to get back to the garage. I made sure Benezia was in my Mako, Wrex taking out a shotgun and keeping it across his knees. If she woke up, she would have the shotgun prodded into her stomach, with a warning to behave or else. It was dark by the time we exited, no idea if it was the middle of the night or the dark before the dawn.

It turned out to be the latter, thankful the blizzard had passed, so we were greeted with some amazing scenery by dawn’s early light. The drive took nowhere near as long, basically flooring it at times. Wrex picked up Benezia and we headed back to the _Normandy_, telling Alenko and the rest to go to the hotel as we wouldn’t be going anywhere just yet.

Securing Benezia in the _Normandy_, Liara had followed, wanting a chance to speak with her once she woke up. I said that was fine, but she was under strict instructions to do nothing but talk, while she would remain cuffed and shackled as Chakwas provided medical attention for her wounds. If she tried any jedi mind tricks, then she was to leave immediately. She didn’t quite get what I meant by that, but assured me that she would be safe.

After getting out of my armour and dumping my supplies, I had a quick shower, dressed and headed out, hailing a taxi, and headed for the address I remembered. It was still rather early, knocking on the door, wondering if she was awake yet. When she opened the door, she met my eyes, an enormous smile breaking out as she leapt on me, arms and legs wrapped around me as the kiss certainly told me that she was rather excited to see me.

Carrying her inside, I managed to kick the door shut with my foot as I carried her in towards her kitchen, plonking her down on one of the stools. “How long can you stay?”

“Tonight. I will have to leave tomorrow morning.”

“Are you hungry? Was just about to make breakfast.”

“You know, I could say something completely corny, but I can’t remember the last time I actually ate something.”

Breakfast wasn’t extravagant, some cereal, toast and coffee, but it was something to fill a stomach that had started to growl. Once we’d finished, she grabbed my hand and led me to her bedroom. She was only wearing a robe, so it took longer for myself to undress, but once we were both naked, she simply rested her head against my chest as I held her.

Laying her down on her bed a little later, it was the first time I’d been with a woman for a second time since… Annie. And I think it’s the first time since Annie that I can say that I made love to a woman. I believe there’s a difference. When you fuck, it’s wild, hot, passionate, a shared physical attraction that leads to physical intimacy. But I think, when you make love, in addition to that, there is a heightened emotional and mental intimacy in addition to the physical.

We made love all morning, her hands never not touching my body, our lips rarely apart, and if they were, our foreheads would be touching, looking into each other’s eyes. Her legs would either be wrapped around or resting against my sides, and just occasionally, bent back quite a bit as I thrust deep into her. Sure, we enjoyed an orgasm or two, but it was the simple act itself that meant more.

When she rode me, I noticed the look in her eyes. She wasn’t in love with me, not yet, but there were feelings already. Feelings I could possibly have returned, if I were to stay on Noveria, or at least open myself up to something like that. But I couldn’t, not after Annie. She was still the one. Always would be. I’d lost part of myself when I lost her, shutting off that part which I didn’t want to open again.

Gianna eventually rested against my chest, cock still buried inside her. “My heart is going crazy, Shepard,” she whispered.

“Yeah, mine too,” I admitted.

“Could be just the great sex,” she stated with a laugh, “But it might be something else too.”

I just ran my fingers up and down her spine, enjoying the feeling of her smooth skin, her breasts pressed into my chest, buried inside her, body curled into mine. “You’re thinking,” she whispered.

“There’s always a lot going on in my head, to be honest.” I kissed her forehead when she looked up. “What I do know is that I do really like you.”

“Well, those feelings are definitely returned, Shepard.”

Getting dressed a little later, wrapping up as it was obviously cold outside, we headed out for a walk. There wasn’t exactly lot around so we walked to the end of the residential area and a nearby cliff, overlooking an enormous gorge, frozen lake far below. I’m sure before the planet froze solid, there might have been vegetation, perhaps trees and grass far below. Nothing could survive in these temperatures though.

“Not sure I’ll end up staying here,” she said, cuddling into my side, “Too much politics. The Anoleis job got on my nerves in the end.”

“Where would you go?”

“No idea. Still a cop at heart though.” She gave me a squeeze. “I know you are an orphan, Shepard. Me? I grew up in a rough neighbourhood, parents’ poor as anything, barely able to make ends meet. One of millions forgotten as humanity spread across the stars. Still had a roof over the head and just about enough food, but I never thought I’d end up living on another planet. All through school, always wanted to be a cop. Guess I read too many comics, watched too many vids, thought I could end up saving the day. Was always good at investigating, it’s how I ended up in my current role. Can always sniff out a perp.”

“Maybe it’s time to find another planet, perhaps one not so cold?”

“Would a certain Spectre be interested in visiting me at said planet?”

“Yes, he certainly would.”

Ending up back at her place, we made out on the couch like we were a pair of teenagers, making her giggle as I cracked a series of bad jokes, before she had a nap in my arms. First time I’d spent an entire day with a woman since… Annie. It always came back to her.

Gianna cooked up a storm that night, showing off her heritage. She suggested that she lacked talent in the kitchen. Well, let me just say, if that was lacking talent, she would have owned one of the most expensive restaurants if she could cook better. All I know is that I cleared my plate each time as what she cooked was delicious, the wine she selected simply complimenting the meal. Once we’d washed and put away everything, we retired to her bedroom, where she put on a little music, performed a rather erotic striptease for me, then we made love again.

The way she breathed my name as I buried myself, the way she looked at me, the way her fingers and heels dug into my back, the little noises she constantly made… She begged me to keep going, she wanted me to cum, as much as I wanted her to cum. Her mouth constantly searched for mine, the passion and intensity increasing with each passing moment. I’m not sure if she was falling in love with me that day. I don’t know if you can fall in love that quickly. All I knew is that I liked her, and would definitely want to see her again.

When she rode me later, my hands never left her body, constantly trailing up her back and occasionally grabbing her arse, before I finally shuffled back so I was sitting up and we could make out, or I could kiss down to her neck, giving her a little bite, hearing her giggle, or I’d move further down and focus on her breasts. She eventually had to ride me hard and fast, holding tightly onto me as she came hard a final time, not letting me go as I felt her shudder a few times.

“Part of me doesn’t want you to go,” she whispered, “But the other part is scared what will happen if you were to stay. I can’t remember the last time… It’s been a long time, Shepard.”

I’d barely slept in two days, so I was now rather exhausted. After we shared a rather intimate shower, we finally settled back in bed, feeling myself drift off, her hands gently caressing my face, feeling her lips kiss my forehead before I fell asleep. Waking beside her the next morning, she didn’t turn around to look at me for a while, hearing her take in a couple of deep, shuddering breaths. “I’m being an idiot,” she said quietly.

“Do you want to come see me off or…”

“Oh, I’m spending every second possible with you, Shepard.”

We eventually got out of bed and dressed, enjoying breakfast together, some of the chatter from the previous day missing. Catching a taxi outside, we headed to the hotel first, collecting the crew, before we walked back to the _Normandy_. Everyone headed on first before Gianna and I shared a final hug and one hell of a kiss, the depth of feeling involved telling me everything we both felt. When we finally broke apart, she hugged me tightly, whispered ‘Goodbye’ before she tried to go, though I didn’t let her.

“Not like that,” I said quietly. She looked up, noticing the shimmer in her eyes. I stroked her cheek with my thumb and smiled, earning a rather crooked one in return. “We’ll see each other again, Gianna. That I can guarantee.”

“Going to hold you to that. Send you a message every day. ‘You’d better still be alive, Shepard!’” That made us both laugh.

“I’d like a message every day.”

“Couple of days together and I’m already crying because you’re leaving!”

“Trust me, part of me doesn’t want to leave. But…”

“Got to save the galaxy?”

“Something like that.”

She hugged me again. “Going to miss you like crazy. Ugh, life is going to be dull around here again.”

“While my life might seem crazy, there’s enough downtime where I can let you know what I’m up to.”

“I’d like to hear all about it.”

“Deal.”

She leaned back and we kissed a final time before she stepped back, giving me a faint salute. “Bye, Shepard.”

“Farewell, Gianna. Hope to see you again soon.”

Walking onto the _Normandy_, as soon as the airlock closed, I heard the docking arm detach as the ship backed out of port and began its ascent. Striding towards the galaxy map, I put in the Citadel as the destination, though I told Joker I might change my mind on route. It would depend on Benezia. And that was where I was headed next.


	12. Book 1, Chapter 12 - New Connections

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sure those of you following this are wondering what Wrex will get up to next… All I have to say is I have to help a brother out sometimes. And you get a first Garrus POV of the story. And this is a sex-free chapter for Shepard as others get a chance to get laid!

I was left with the feeling that Benezia wished we had killed her instead of taking her prisoner. I was willing to simply drop her off on the Citadel, but Councillor Tevos insisted they wanted nothing to do with her. When suggesting I take her to Thessia, it was suggested in return that probably wouldn’t be a good idea. I wasn’t sure the asari still practiced capital punishment, but from the sounds of it, her alliance to Saren was well known and quite a few wanted to make her an example. Showing up with Benezia would also lead to accusations against myself and my team. After conversing with Liara, we decided that we’d keep her with us and see if time away from Saren and his ship would help. I didn’t think it would but Liara was more hopeful.

By now, we’d moved Benezia up to the med-bay to continue her recovery from the fact I’d shot her a couple of times. She was restrained at all times, and didn’t really make any complaints. If I was honest, it seemed the fight had gone out of her. I spoke to her alone once or twice, trying to gain an insight into Saren’s mind. It was obvious he was a raving lunatic by now, and Benezia was unbelievably arrogant in how she thought she could deal with him.

It wasn’t a surprise she knew nearly everything about me. I thought she would try and fuck with my mind, question myself, but she just let it be known that if she knew everything, then Saren certainly did too. One question did amuse me though. “Have you fucked my daughter, Commander?” she asked during one session. I heard Chakwas stifle a laugh behind me.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I haven’t.”

“Why not? She’s clearly interested in you.”

“There has been some flirting but there hasn’t really been an opportunity.”

She laughed. “Goddess, all you need is ten minutes and a room with a modicum of privacy. Don’t even need a bed. Just bend her over a desk and have your way with her.”

I couldn’t help chuckle. “Are you seriously suggesting I should just fuck your daughter like some… well, whore?”

“It’s obvious she’s rather uptight about things, particularly in regards to me. I think she needs it to release some of the stress she’s feeling.”

“It’s not my position to say, but you do know she’s…”

“A virgin? Yes, that comes as no real surprise. Always had her nose in books or hands buried in dirt. While most her age are out exploring the galaxy as mercenaries or commandos, and definitely fucking anything that moved, my daughter has always been… different. I guess it’s a good thing in some ways.”

“Look, I remember my first time. It wasn’t that memorable. If I was to be her first…”

That made her laugh. “Goddess, you want it to be romantic or something? Get your head out of the clouds, Commander. It’s just sex.”

I leaned back in my chair, and thought I’d attempt a retort. “Saren ever fuck you?”

That made her face fall, though she shook her head. “No. I may have been a slave to his desires, but he is past needing any sort of physical release. We may have followed his word, but it’s clear the ship influences him as much as he and the ship influence his followers.”

“You still hear his whispers?”

She nodded. “Still wish you killed me half the time. That part of my mind I blocked off does help, but it’s a constant struggle.”

“Anything we can do to help?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t know much about the indoctrination process. My only suggestion would be destroying that ship of his. Perhaps that will free my mind from his whispers.”

“I’m still not sure what to do with you otherwise. Effectively, you might have to remain our prisoner until that time, for your safety and ours.”

“Will you eventually release me from these cuffs?"

“Possibly. It will depend on how you behave.”

“That is fair, Commander.” Then she smirked. “Could always leave them on for a particular reason or two.”

I could help chuckle at her tone. “Now, now, Benezia, you were suggesting I fuck your daughter just a few minutes ago.”

“Well, I am cuffed here, rather helpless, and I’ve never been with a human before. Considering all the shit currently going on in my head, you might just be a welcome distraction.”

I rose to my feet. “I’ll see you later, Benezia.” I paused before adding, “Keep that attitude up and you’ll find yourself released sooner rather than later. If you want, you can bunk with your daughter. She’ll keep you in line.”

“She has certainly grown since I last saw her.”

“When did you last?”

I noticed her look away. “Too long ago,” she replied quietly, “It is a deep regret.”

“Now would be the perfect time to reconnect.”

“It is one of the very few reasons why I am glad you let me live, Commander.”

Heading back out into the mess, no-one was around so I headed back to my quarters, ready to simply lie back on my bed and catch up on some sleep. Noveria had been a wild ride, quite frankly amazed that we’d all survived. Though I was adamant at the time about releasing the rachni queen, I did wonder if that would eventually come back to bite me in the arse. Wrex and his warnings still echoed in my head, and the krogan knew a thing or two about fighting them. I guess it was a case of wait and see what happened.

* * *

Wrex had to admit that he was enjoying life on the _Normandy_. Sure, Shepard’s decision regarding the rachni was one he was still trying to wrap his head around, but in the end, like his own people, it was no longer his problem. He would simply serve alongside Shepard, kill geth, rachni or whatever else they happened to find, and in the end, they’d kill Saren, end the menace, then he’d piss off and continue to do his own thing.

Shepard was busy talking to Garrus by the Mako, and he was waiting for the Commander to head over and have his usual chat with him. They’d talked about numerous topics, and it pleased him that Shepard was interested to know more about his species, as barely anyone cared about the krogan or their plight. The only people who the other species cared less about was perhaps the quarians, but at least they didn’t have the genophage put upon them.

Alenko was chatting away with Ashley nearby, the human giving him the eye every so often. Wrex was left feeling he might have to nip the entire thing in the bud soon enough. He thoroughly enjoyed himself with Alenko, and the human had a very high sex drive, and a high pain threshold, but he could see the human was starting to… _like_ him. Not love, it would never be that but… He was only looking at a physical release, and like a lot of males from any species, except those weird salarians, he loved to fuck.

His eyes fell on Shepard, watching his hand rest on the shoulder of Garrus, the pair exchanging a nod and quiet words, and it looked like Garrus had got something off his chest, as there was definitely a sigh of relief as the turian turned around to resume his work on the Mako. Shepard headed towards him, but simply to say hello before he approached Alenko, grabbing the Lieutenant and the pair headed towards the elevator.

A few minutes later, he noticed Tali poke her head out from engineering, appearing to check for something or someone, before she walked across the garage to Ashley. The two then seemed to talk quietly, and he felt eyes fall on him. If anything, the human female seemed to grin then even burst out laughing at whatever Tali had to say. Wondering what was up, the pair then approached him.

Tali ran a hand down his arm. “Hi, Wrex.”

“Hello, little one.”

“So, I was just wondering… Are you busy right now?”

That made him laugh, but her voice was dripping with innuendo. “Tali, I spend most of my day standing around doing nothing if I’m not off the ship killing things.”

Ashley moved to his other side. “So, Wrex, Tali has been sharing one or two things that, I’ll admit, intrigue me.”

He cast her with a curious eye. “Thought you hated us?”

“No. If you listened to what I said, I was simply concerned about security regarding the secrecy of this ship. Shepard can recruit whoever he wants.”

He looked between the pair of them. “So what do you want?”

Tali grabbed him by the hand and led him off, Ashley falling in alongside. Ending up in the same room as before, the door was closed and locked, and this time Tali keyed her omni-tool, reporting that any cameras inside the room would now be off. He stood before them, appreciating the fact they both had to look up at him.

“Okay, what’s going on?” he wondered.

“Can you get it out again?” Tali asked.

He couldn’t help chuckle. “For what reason?”

“I want to play with it. And Ashley wants to see it too.”

He looked at Ashley. “For real?”

The human nodded eagerly. “Two reasons, Wrex. One, Shepard and I have flirted but he hasn’t made a move, and I’m really fucking horny. Two, Tali tells me you have a massive cock.”

“He does,” Tali stated, getting down onto her knees, looking at him, “Please, Wrex.”

“You know if we do this, it crosses a line.” She nodded as he looked at Ashley. “And you? Want to be fucked by an alien?”

“If you’re packing what Tali says you are, I’m willing to give it a damned good go.”

Wrex had to admit he’d never had such good luck before. So he had to take off parts of his armour, the women cooing over his muscles. Krogan were built quite differently to any other species in the galaxy. Their world made them hard, and he’d spent hundreds of years fighting. He was nothing but scars and muscle.

Whipping out his cock, he heard Ashley gasp as Tali’s hands went into her pockets, retrieving a bottle of what looked like lube. She poured a little onto his cock, and it felt rather warm, before she started to use both hands to get him hard. Once he was, Ashley couldn’t help but gasp. “Holy shit!”

He looked down and shrugged. “Well, there are reasons why, mostly to do with our females. Mating can be a difficult process.” Tali was now using both hands to basically jerk him off, Ashley getting down onto her knees and sitting alongside the quarian. He couldn’t help chuckle. “So what do you plan, ladies?”

“I want to make you cum, Wrex,” Tali replied. That definitely surprised him. “Then I want to see you fuck Ashley.”

“Whoa, hold on a minute,” he started to say before he looked at Ashley, who looked up at him and nodded. “Seriously?”

“I need to be fucked, Wrex. Alenko is out. I’ve heard about turian dicks before. And though interested, Shepard is either hesitating or… I don’t know. And this thing you’re packing with definitely do the job.”

“I’m not sure you can…”

“I’ll use some of that lube.” When her mouth lowered to his cock, seeing her run her tongue alongside his shaft, his eyes definitely widened in surprise. “Trust me, I’ll be nice and wet by the time you’re ready.”

“I’m ready now.”

“Cum for Tali first, then you can fuck me.”

Shrugging his shoulders, he focused on the little quarian now on her knees, both hands jerking his shaft. She quickly got a good rhythm going and could only assume she’d done some reading, noticing her eyes behind the mask always looking up at him. “Didn’t think this would happen,” he stated.

“I’ve been thinking about it all the time since I first saw it,” Tali admitted.

“Keep going. It won’t take long. Where do you want it?”

“Well, you do cum a lot so… Well, on my mask and it can just drip down onto my suit. I can clean up later.”

Ashley had started to strip off by now, and Wrex couldn’t help appreciate the skin now on show. Rather pale but she had average breasts for a human female, an athletic tone to her body, and some hair above her sex. When she stood up, she definitely had a nice pair of legs, amazed when she kneeled back down and started to use her tongue on him. That sent his senses into overdrive.

“Don’t know what I’ve done to deserve this,” he muttered.

“You going to cum soon?” Tali asked.

“Uh-huh.”

He wasn’t used to this sort of attention. Before Alenko started to show any sort of interest, he usually paid for sex. Well, that was a lie. Not usually, he always paid for sex, but certainly spent credits on more than a couple of asari at a time. Now he had a quarian and a human on their knees before him, and if it wasn’t for the suit, he was left thinking Tali would want to be fucked by him too.

He groaned loudly as he finally felt the unstoppable surge, warning her he was about to cum before he unloaded all over her mask. He drenched it completely, leaving long streaks dripping down onto her suit. She squealed with delight as his cock throbbed in her hands, muttering about how much he came. Looking at Ashley, she was rather surprised by the volume too.

When he was finally empty, Tali kept stroking him until he had to ask her to stop, simply to give him a moment to recover. She turned to Ashley. “How do I look?”

“Well, part of me is kind of glad it isn’t your face, Tali, otherwise you’d be a real mess.”

“I really need to get out of this suit and be properly fucked.”

“By who though?”

“Right now, I’ll take anyone within reason. I think Wrex would probably tear me apart.”

“I’d be as gentle as possible, little one.”

“I know, but while I liked doing this… you know…”

“Well, I don’t know what Shepard wants, which is why I’m down here right now,” Ashley said, looking up at Wrex, “You’re still pretty hard too.”

“Oh, I can continue straight away if you’re ready.”

He watched Ashley stand up and move over to the table, sitting down on it and spreading her legs wide, sitting right by the edge of the table. He noticed she was wet, her pussy looking rather red having fondled herself as she’d watched Tali pleasure him. Tali stepped forward and appeared interested. “You can touch me if you want, Tali.”

“Are you sure?” Ashley nodded, and Tali ran a gloved hand down her body, over her breasts, down her stomach, before finally touching her sex. Ashley gasped at her touch. “Never been with a woman,” the human admitted.

“The female form has always fascinated me,” Tali whispered.

Tali continued to fondle her and it was obviously turning Ashley on. “Put a finger in me,” she finally whispered.

“Are you sure?” Ashley bit her lip and nodded as Tali gently slid a finger inside her. “Oh my,” Ashley muttered, “That’s just one finger?”

Tali giggled. “Well, we are different in many ways.”

Wrex moved to stand behind Tali, watching as Tali gently slid her finger in and out of Ashley. He had to admit the sight was rather erotic but also incredibly tender. Different to what was going to happen when he had his go. Ashley pulled Tali a little closer, resting her head against her mask, his cum having now dried a little. “Holy shit, that’s good,” Ashley whispered.

“Well, the way this is going, the only thing I need to do after this is actually get fucked,” Tali joked.

“If you want to be with a woman…”

“You’re serious?” Ash nodded. “I’d… I’d like that too.”

“If you want me to go,” Wrex stated.

“No, I’m ready now but… I like what Tali is doing…”

“We could always… you know, at another time…”

“Just me and you, Tali?” The quarian nodded. “You’d like to fool around with me?” Tali nodded again. “Well, this mission just got a lot more interesting. As I said, never been with a woman before.”

“Ever been interested?”

“Before I met you, no. But, I’ll admit, I like you, Tali.”

“I’d better stop, otherwise I won’t want to stop.” Tali removed her finger as Ashley leaned forward to give her a hug.

“Definitely soon, Tali,” Ashley said quietly, “But you must stay and watch.”

“Oh, my Nerve-Stim Pro will be going onto its highest setting in about thirty seconds!”

Tali moved out of the way as he stepped forward, Ashley now lying back slightly, resting on her elbows, her legs still spread wide. He lined up his cock and rested it on her groin. It looked enormous compared to her body. “If it hurts, Ashley…” She simply nodded, but her face spoke of determination. He used one of his fingers to gently fondle her. Probably not as gentle as Tali, but he could feel how wet she was. “Tali turn you on, Ashley?”

“I wouldn’t mind seeing her out of her suit.”

“Long as you eat my pussy.” There was silence as she then added, “Keelah, I did blurt that out, didn’t I?”

“I’ll do it as long as you return the favour.”

“Definitely doing some research. Looks like I might have two Alliance members who might fuck me now.”

Wrex was ready to fuck again. He met Ashley’s eyes and she nodded as he positioned his cock at her entrance. Pressing forward, he tried to be gentle as he slid his cock inside her, but even with lube and the fact she was wet, it was one hell of a tight fit. He probably slid half of it in before she leaned forward, resting a hand on his chest.

“You are fucking enormous, Wrex.”

He couldn’t help grin. “I know.”

“Take it easy but I want you to fuck me.”

“As you wish.”

Wrapping a hand around each thigh, she lay back on the table as he started to thrust into her. Tali had moved around the table by this stage, running a hand up and down her body, Ashley grabbing one of her hands, placing it on her breasts, suggesting she play with her nipples. Wrex wasted little time picking up the pace, and he felt more of his cock sliding inside her each time.

“Fucking hell!” Ashley cried.

“Okay?”

“Fuck yes. My god, Wrex.”

“Loving my alien cock?”

He noticed the smirk form. “If all aliens have cocks like you…”

He picked up the pace even more, and while he didn’t quite bury himself entirely, he was impressed at how much she could take, and there was no little doubt he was stretching her out. No wonder she was already delirious with pleasure. “Tali, find my clit,” Ashley moaned. He watched as Tali slid a hand down her body towards her sex, and after a bit of investigation, found what she was looking for. “Oh god, going to cum!”

Tali looked up at him. “We’re doing good, right?”

“I’m not sure if it’s me or you, Tali,” he muttered.

“Could kiss you right now, Tali,” Ashley moaned, her body now quivering under the dual assault, “No offence, Wrex.”

“Yeah, I don’t really do that anyway.”

Ashley lasted after thirty seconds before enjoying one almighty orgasm, feeling her squeeze his cock as he didn’t stop moving, Tali’s hand a blur as she continued to fondle her sex. He thought Ashley would ask him to stop, but although he did eventually slow down, she gave herself time to recover before looking at him. “Get on the ground,” she said.

He knew what for, so pulled out and lay down on the ground, Ashley sliding off the table and straddling his groin, lifting herself up and sliding down most of his cock. “Oh my god,” she moaned, looking around and reaching out for Tali. Taking hold of the young quarian, she positioned her so she sat on Wrex’s chest, looking away, “Get a look at that fine arse, Wrex.”

He did what any self-respecting man would do. He gave it a gentle pinch then a slap, earning a giggle. Then he felt Ashley start to ride him, while Ashley ran her hands up and down Tali’s back, eventually reaching her arse. “You need to get out of this suit, Tali.”

“You’re really attracted to me?” his little friend asked, “Or is it Wrex?”

“Oh, I’ve liked you since the start, Tali. You have a lovely personality. I’m hoping you’re as beautiful underneath the mask.”

He heard the catch of breath before Tali simply hugged her, though Ashley didn’t stop riding his cock for a second. “I’ll find a way we can do something,” Tali finally said.

“Is there anything I can do for you?” Ashley asked.

“Not right now but I’ll see if… I’m sure I can get part of my body out of this suit.”

“Your pussy?” Tali nodded. “If you do that, I’ll eat you out.”

He heard Tali gasp. “I’ll need to take off my mask to return the favour.”

“Okay, I’m loving this conversation,” Wrex stated with a chuckle.

“And I’m loving your cock, Wrex. Shame Tali can’t enjoy it too.”

“Would you be willing to fuck me, Wrex?”

He hesitated. “As I said, little one, your first time…” He trailed off and sighed. “Look, you guys know I love to fuck. I’m really liking you right now, Ashley. You have the tightest pussy I’ve had in years.” He noticed Ashley slow down and blush. That made him feel good, at least. “But Tali, you’ve seen how big I am. And despite the rough and tough exterior, I really don’t want to hurt you.”

Tali turned around and gave him a hug. “I know,” she whispered, before there was a loud slap, Tali crying out as Ashley couldn’t hep grin.

“That arse is on fire, Tali,” she exclaimed, before there was another loud slap, this time Tali expecting it and making a rather appreciative sound. “Okay, I am starting to feel sore. You need to cum, Wrex?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t mind.”

“Tali, if you don’t mind moving…” Once the quarian was out of the way, Ashley leaned forward, planting a hand to either side of him. “Okay, Wrex, here’s your big chance. I love this big cock inside me, and now I want to feel you cum inside me. So, have your way with me.”

“You sure?”

She nodded, a face of grim determination. Setting himself, he grabbed her by the hips and gave her a few short, hard thrusts. He noticed the grimace, but their eyes met, and she nodded, so he did it again. The reaction was better this time, so he fucked her faster and harder before she begged him to continue. He was never going to last long. Her pussy was too good, eventually needing to rest against his chest as he grabbed her by the arse and pounded her, his entire cock now disappearing inside her.

“Fucking hell!” she cried out.

“Okay?” he grunted.

“Fuck yes. Oh my god… You need to cum…”

“Soon,” he muttered. He wanted it to last as long as possible.

But no man can last forever and he felt the point of no return, warning her he was close. She simply held on tight as he pounded her until he felt the first release deep inside her, following that up with even more, thrusting away until he simply couldn’t keep going, collapsing back onto the ground as Ashley settled down against him. It was only when all was quiet that he heard the sniffle. “Okay?” he asked quietly.

“Think I overestimated my capacity to take massive krogan cock,” she joked, looking up to see her eyes shimmer, but there were no tears, “Felt fucking great though.”

“Well, at least I can cross human off the list now.”

“You’ve never had a human?” He shook his head. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Well, consider me honoured, Wrex.”

She needed to stand up, no surprise that cum flowed out of her, trailing down her legs, much to the amusement of herself and Tali, making comment at the sheer volume of cum he released. He shrugged, as it was normal for him, standing up and giving his muscles a stretch. “This has been fun,” he stated, “Don’t get to do something like this very often.”

Ashley simply sat on the table, not bothering to get dressed yet. Tali sat beside her, and it was clear she appreciated Ashley’s body. He gathered up his armour and started to dress himself, as he didn’t particularly want to hang around. Whenever he did the deed with Alenko, it was just that. Fuck then go. He wasn’t interested in the intimacy some people shared.

“So, I guess I’ll see you later,” he said. It wasn’t awkward, but fun time was over, so he was just going to leave.

“Thanks, Wrex. I’m glad you agreed,” Tali stated.

“And you might have another human who’ll want some fun later too,” Ashley added.

Wrex shrugged. “I won’t say no. You have a nice body, Ashley.”

“Ash, Wrex.”

He nodded. “You have a nice body, Ash. Reminds me of asari, except, well, not blue. Nice tits though.”

Despite everything they’d done, she still blushed. “Well, thanks, Wrex. Glad you liked them.”

“I like them too,” Tali said.

“Tali, we are definitely getting you out of that suit,” Ashley stated.

“Can we play some more?”

Ashley looked at him. “Want to stay, Wrex?”

“No, you two have your fun. I think you need it. Tali, just keep in mind what I said, okay?” His little friend nodded, before Ashley lay back, Tali straddling her lap and he assumed things were going to happen. He simply unlocked the door, stepped through, and closed it behind him. Wandering back out into the garage, Garrus gave him a curious look but all he did was shrug. No point telling the turian what he was up to. Alenko turned up a few minutes later, wondering where Ashley was. He lied and said he didn’t know. Shepard turned up around an hour later, leaning against the nearby bench, folding his arms, a knowing grin on his face.

“Wrex, just so you’re aware, the camera was still on. But good for you. Guess Ashley is going to be disappointed if she ever wants to be with me now. God damn, my friend…”

And, with that, Shepard simply turned and walked back towards the elevator. Wrex could only stand there and laugh to himself at how this whole mission was turning out.

* * *

“I’ve been waiting for this day ever since the bastard escaped,” Garrus stated. His friend glanced in his direction but said nothing. “You’re not going to stop me, are you, Shepard?”

“I think you’ve seen the sort of justice I’m willing to deal out, Garrus. This is your show. I’m merely here as support.”

“Thanks.”

“What are friends for, right…”

Garrus didn’t have many friends left. Those from Palaven had moved on with their lives, either with their military careers, raising families or they’d simply lost contact over the years. Those with C-Sec, those he chose to let close, eventually distances themselves, thinking he was a loose cannon and would eventually find himself messing with the wrong people. He had an ingrained sense of right and wrong. But during his time with C-Sec, he had seen endless corruption, criminals buying their way to freedom, and far too much red tape for his liking. He didn’t quite like the judge, jury and executioner role that came with the Spectre system, but sometimes, he could understand why it existed.

He’d told Shepard all about Doctor Saleon recently and admitted that it was an itch that needed scratching. Shepard had listened and agreed to helping him track down the doctor. It had taken a lot of hard work but he’d finally tracked him down to a ship, the _MSV Fedele_, which was currently in the Herschel system.

The only reason they’d managed to track him down is that it was obvious something had gone wrong, the doctor now calling himself by a different name and he’d activated a distress signal. Garrus had picked it up and recognised it immediately, informing Shepard who, without any real lead to find Saren, agreed to go at once.

It would only be he and Shepard regarding this mission. The ship Doctor Saleon resided on was small, and while it was obvious something had gone wrong with his experiments, the two of them with an assault rifle each should be able to deal with any eventuality. The _Normandy_ found the ship floating in space and eventually docked alongside it, the pair of them waiting as the airlock connected, and they stepped through, ensuring their helmets were secured, just in case.

The ship did appear to be deserted. Even through his armour, it was rather cold. After a quick search of the tiny living quarters, they entered the main hold, and that is where they discovered the horror of his experiments. Shepard mentioned it was like something out of a science fiction slash horror film. Whatever they were, it was horrifying, and the only thing they could do was shoot them, particularly as they were particularly aggressive, charging straight at them as soon as they came into view.

Not sure how many they killed but more than enough to believe Doctor Saleon had experimented on plenty of people, and Garrus could only wonder what he was trying do now. The experiments he’d discovered the first time had been sickening. It appeared his research had descended into the obscene.

They found the doctor later. He didn’t recognise Garrus at first. Didn’t seem to recognise Shepard either. “Thank you! Thank you for saving me from those things!” he cried.

“Doctor Saleon,” Garrus growled.

The eyes of the salarian met his. There was no recognition just yet. “What? No, no, no. My name is Heart. Doctor Heart. Please, just get me out of here.”

“Just want a positive ID, Garrus.”

“Oh, I’m sure it’s him, Shepard. One hundred percent positive.” He took the pistol from its holster. “There’s no escape this time, Doctor. I’d harvest your organs first, but we don’t have the time.”

Saleon took a couple of fearful steps back. “You’re crazy!” he cried, before looking at Shepard, “He’s crazy! Please, don’t let him do this to me.”

“Garrus,” Shepard stated.

Garrus levelled his pistol, aimed for the head, and fired. The bullet was perfectly aimed, straight through the forehead, exiting at the back. Saleon dropped to the ground dead. Garrus held the pistol level, amazed at how calm he was, before he simply placed it back in its holster. “Righteous,” he muttered.

“Good kill, Garrus.”

“Thanks, Shepard. Been wanting to do that for a long time.”

The pair wandered the medical lab and what Saleon had been up to beggared belief. There was no missing the blood stained gurneys and lab equipment. Garrus had enough know how to download the data, and Saleon had kept terrabytes of information regarding all the experiments he’d performed, and more than one video of what he’d been up to. Though he was intrigued, he knew he couldn’t sit and watch without throwing up everything he’d eaten for the past year.

With little more to discover, the pair headed back to the _Normandy_. He wondered if Shepard would ever regret letting him put a bullet in Saleon instead of arresting him, but he could only believe he’d made a convincing enough case that justice was done quickly rather than through the courts.

Assuming they were heading back to the Citadel, he headed back to the garage as usual, noticing Ashley was far friendlier with Wrex than usual, while Tali would pop out from engineering every so often, and would chat with Ashley while also giggling away with Wrex. He did wonder what was going on with the three of them. Everyone knew about Wrex and Alenko, as neither was shy about what was going on, but he did wonder about those three now.

He must have been staring as the two women sauntered over towards him. “How are things, Garrus?” Tali asked.

“Oh, you know, same shit, different day.”

“Shepard help resolve that issue of yours?” Ashley wondered.

“Yes, he did. Everything wrapped up nicely. Can sleep easier at night now.”

“I think we’re heading back to the Citadel for a couple of days. Any plans?” Tali asked.

“Why?” he retorted, immediately curious. And cautious.

“Well, we know you have a certain lady friend on the Citadel,” Tali replied.

“Fucked her yet, Garrus?” Ashley wondered. He couldn’t stop his jaw dropping wide. “Oh, come on, we’ve all been around when the good doctor has been in your company. She wants your dick, Garrus. We’re just wondering if you’ve given it to her yet. Never seen a naked turian myself but I’ve been told your dicks are weirder than human.”

“Or krogan,” Tali added.

“Hang on, wait, what?” he wondered, staring at Tali in disbelief. “How would you know what krogan look like?”

“I’ve seen Wrex’s,” Tali replied with a shrug.

“What? You’ve seen…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “Spirits, what is going on with this ship?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you’ve got Shepard with spirits only knows who off the ship. Liara clearly wants him. You do too, Ashley. And I’m assuming Tali does too, because all the women seem to want Shepard. I know Shiala has already shared his bed more than once. There was that cop on Noveria, that doctor we arrested, the old woman he made that deal with and that reporter who he helped a while back now.

Then you have Alenko and Wrex, which I simply can’t explain. Don’t care who you want to fuck, but I just don’t get it. And now you’re telling me that you’ve done something with him, Tali?”

Tali giggled. “I’m not the only one,” she retorted in a sing-song voice, making an obvious glance towards Ashley.

Garrus could only looked at her. “Fuck. Off,” he stated bluntly, “Look, not to be rude, Ashley, but… Well, it was pretty clear earlier on…”

“Look, you know about my history by now, all the shit I’ve gone through. Yes, I wasn’t exactly accepting to start off with. But having spent some time with you guys, I’ve come to see all of you as friends.”

“But you’ve seriously been with Wrex?”

Ashley leaned forward. “He has a massive cock,” she whispered, “And Shepard was taking too long, and I needed to be fucked.”

“Yeah, but…” He trailed off again, shaking his head. “I don’t get it.”

“Want to see Ashley and I do it?” Tali asked.

He couldn’t help burst out laughing. “You been drinking or something?”

“No. I just know men love to see two women at once. I don’t really understand why...”

“While flattered, I don’t think Chloe would appreciate that.”

“So you are in a relationship!” Ashley exclaimed.

“Yes. Sort of. I don’t know.” He sighed again. “All I know is that I like her, she likes me, and every time we’re on the Citadel, we meet up.”

“Fucked her yet?” Ashley asked.

“None of your business.”

“He’s fucked her,” Tali suggested.

“Want to fuck me, Garrus?” Ashley asked.

“What?” he asked, completely deadpan.

“Well, I’ve had krogan dick, so why not try turian?”

He couldn’t help laugh nervously. “Ummm, I really don’t think Chloe would approve.”

“She doesn’t have to know.”

“No. I couldn’t do that to her. Spirits, this ship must fuck with people’s minds or something…”

The two girls laughed away but they left him alone after that. Wandering up to the mess for dinner that night, Shepard mentioned they would arrive at the Citadel the next day. He noticed Benezia had now been released from her shackles, and she was definitely cosying up to Shepard. So was Liara. Shiala watched but didn’t seem bothered by any of it.

He was thankful the _Normandy_ arrived the next day, and Shepard gave everyone a three-day pass. Nearly everyone split up, though he hung around Shepard, as did Wrex and Alenko. Ashley and Tali disappeared together, now thick as thieves, while the three asari on the ship were spending time together. He knew Shiala and Benezia had spent a long time talking, no doubt the wounds of Feros taking time to heal.

Garrus was amused when Shepard found himself stopped for an interview. He’d never heard of Khalisah al-Jalani but would certainly not forget her after the questions that landed in Shepard’s lap. To his credit, the Commander handled them with skill, batting back most of her accusations with the wit and charm everyone knew he possessed. What Garrus did find amusing is that it appeared this was one woman who would not fall under his spell.

Alenko and Wrex disappeared once they hit the Wards, so that left him alone with Shepard. “Any plans, Shepard?” he asked.

“None, to be fair. Everyone is busy doing their own thing. To be honest, I was just going to spend most of my time relaxing, and by that, I mean sleeping.”

“Well, I’m going to go see Chloe so…”

“Message heard loud and clear, Garrus. Definitely don’t want to be a third wheel. Might go see Sha’ira.”

That made him laugh, the pair shaking hands, before Shepard wandered off in the opposite direction. He could have closed his eyes and found his way to her office from any point on the Citadel. Strolling through her door, she was busy with a patient, noticing there were no others, so he stood back and waited until she was finished. As soon as the patient was released and had departed, he locked the door as she strode towards him, wrapping her arms around him. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered.

“Missed you too, Chloe. The only reason why I regret joining up with his mission.”

She leaned back, glancing at her watch. “I have another couple of hours to go. Can you wait?”

“I’ll just take a seat. No rush to do anything else.”

Plenty of people came and went over the next couple of hours. He amused himself by playing on his omni-tool, reading plenty of messages from his old C-Sec account, which he still had access to. The news was boring as always, though he always kept an eye and ear on news from Palaven, though nothing much ever changed there either.

Chloe eventually finished her shift, her replacement showing up. Standing tall, she grabbed his and they headed off together. “I’ll cook us some dinner, Garrus.”

“You’ve just spent hours on your feet. At least let me buy you dinner.”

“Are you sure?”

“Chloe, trust me, it’s fine.”

They ended up in the sort of establishment that catered to both their dietary needs. It was nothing extravagant but filled his growling stomach, watching as she ate something called pasta. She had to be careful otherwise it would have made a mess, meeting his eyes more than once and giggling as she made a few noises as she slurped long strings of pasta into her mouth.

Dinner complete, he thought they’d head out to the Presidium or perhaps a bar on the Wards, but she grabbed his hand and led him with some determination in the direction of her apartment. Once inside, she kicked off her shoes and practically pushed him back towards the couch, sitting him down as she straddled his lap. She had learned that kissing a turian, as a human, was difficult. What they’d discovered was touching their foreheads was a sign of intimacy. Looking into his eyes, he could see the love she had for him, as much as he had for her. She did eventually kiss down his cheek as his hands ran down her back, eventually finding the zip for the back of her suit. She wore a rather lacy black bra, helping her take of her trousers as well, pleased to see the underwear was matching.

“You told me you would be returning today so I wore it for you,” she whispered as his hands explored her body.

“And here I am in… whatever I’m wearing.”

“You always look good to me, Garrus.”

He still couldn’t understand what she saw in him. Not as a man or a person, as he liked to think he had decent qualities, but human turian relations were… difficult at times. Human females were soft and delicate, or at least a lot of them were. Turians were anything but that. However, she was attracted to him, and he was definitely attracted to her. He particularly loved her accent, turning off his translator whenever she spoke in her regional dialect. She was from a place called France, often speaking at length about her homeland, suggesting more than once that they really should visit a city called Paris.

With her half naked as she sat on him, he was always going to have a reaction, and when she got down between his legs and freed his cock, he couldn’t help but gasp when she swallowed his length. “Spirits,” he whispered as he looked down, her eyes showing nothing but devotion towards him. She pleasured him for quite a while before he wanted to return the favour. He couldn’t quite do what humans called cunnilingus. What he couldn’t quite do with his mouth, he could do with his fingers, albeit gently.

Standing up, he led her by the hand to her bedroom, where they both ended up quite naked. He always felt awkward naked, particularly in front of Chloe. It wasn’t that he felt unattractive, it’s just his body was so different to hers. But when she stepped forward and ran her soft hands all over him, he felt himself relax. “I love you,” he whispered.

She stood on tip toes to kiss him on the mouth. “And I love you, Garrus Vakarian,” she whispered back.

Leading him to the bed, she lay back, head on the pillows, as she spread her legs. He could only sit on his knees and appreciate her perfect body. Rather pale, though he was one to talk. Two perfect globes on her chest with pale pink nipples. Soft stomach than he loves to run his hands over. A small tuft of hair above her pussy, which glistened in the low light provided. Even her little feet were beautiful.

“I love it when you look at me like that, Garrus.”

“Still have to pinch myself that I’m here like this with you.”

She sat up and pulled him towards her, feeling his cock press against before slowly entering her. Once he was buried, he felt her legs wrap around him as they made love. He would admit that, after all the attention he’d received earlier, he didn’t last long the first time. Chloe certainly didn’t mind, her hands simply running all over his hard body before he flipped over onto his back, and he had the joy of watching her ride his cock to at least a couple of orgasms, switching off his translator as he listened to her speak in her own tongue.

Sex was very different with a human or so he thought. When she leaned forward and rested her head against his, she whispered, “Fuck me, Garrus. Make me yours again.”

Adjusting her legs, grabbing her arse with both hands, he gave her what she wanted. He loved watching her face as he thrust up into her. He sometimes wondered if he ever hurt her. He wouldn’t have lived with himself had he done that. But the smile every time told him what he needed to know. She loved it. She loved him. She loved being with him. Those feelings were returned and more.

He came inside her again, and that was the end of the night, as far as he was concerned. Sure, he’d get hard again, but they’d never get any sleep. So she grabbed his hand and led him to the bathroom, where he had the joy of washing her body, enjoying the touch of her soft skin. She giggled as he always marvelled at her body, and she always showed as much appreciation for his in return.

Ending up back in bed, snuggling under the covers, she spooned back into his body. He was always careful like that, make sure his hard body didn’t bother her too much. She’d always insisted he hold her tighter, that she just wanted his arms around her. He still didn’t understand, despite how much he loved her.

“We will make love in the morning before I go to work?”

“Of course.”

“And your plans while you’re here?”

“Apart from bother you all the time?”

“If I could take time off…”

“I wouldn’t expect you to, Chloe. What you do is incredibly important.”

“Maybe a blowjob before we make love. Definitely a blowjob.”

He couldn’t help chuckle. “Sounds like a fine way to be woken up in the morning.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

He felt her quickly drift off to sleep, body shuffling against his as she got comfortable. He stayed awake a little longer, wishing he could pinch some skin, still not believing how lucky he was.


	13. Book 1, Chapter 13 - Relationships

“It’s a piece of shit, Shepard, but thanks for doing it for me,” the big krogan rumbled. I just slapped him on the back.

“No worries, Wrex. Glad to help you out. What will you do with it?”

“The armour? Nothing but a memento of times past. But I’ve been thinking after all our chats, and though you’re centuries younger than me, I’ll ask for your advice. My people… They need help and as I’m out here, helping you, and apparently solving half of the galaxies problems, I’m wondering if it isn’t time to go home and finally do something.”

“You have a strength in your I’ve rarely seen, Wrex. Do you believe you could unite your people?”

“All I can do is try. But being around you lot, seeing how you are changing things, or resolving old issues, it’s got me thinking at least.”

“Well, not sure if it means anything, but you have my support.”

I noticed the smile, if krogan did smile, appear. “Thank, Shepard. Means a lot coming from anyone other than a non-krogan. Not used to people giving a shit about our problems.”

“Don’t know about other krogan, Wrex, but I do believe in honour. Not sure what you’ve done over the years, maybe you’ve done some shit to survive, but you’ve stuck by my side ever since you stepped foot on this ship. So, as far as I’m concerned, you’ve had my back, so I’ll have yours in the future.”

“Keep this up, Shepard, I’m going to cry.” He said it in such a tone, we both started to laugh, almost falling over when he smacked me on the upper arm.

Leaning back against the bench, I crossed my arms and relaxed, as I wanted to broach another subject on my mind. “Tell me to butt out if you wish, Wrex, but I do have another question or two, of a more personal nature.”

“You’re the CO, Shepard. Ask whatever you want.”

“Okay, fair enough. What’s the deal with Ashley and Tali? Merely curious, that’s all.”

The big krogan rumbled with laughter. “Figured you would ask eventually. Okay, I’ll put it simply regarding Ashley. She’s horny, Shepard. I mean, she’s down to fuck. And since you were giving her signals but didn’t follow through, she went looking elsewhere. Don’t get me wrong, she really likes you but, given the mixed signals, she simply wanted to be fucked and I guess I was the next best thing.”

I couldn’t help sigh. “It’s not mixed signals, Wrex. I like her but… I don’t want to mix work and pleasure. Being intimate with Shiala hasn’t created too many issues but we haven’t been together since before Noveria. I know Liara is ever so keen and Benezia is now showing an interest too, though I’m sure she has rather different motives than others.”

“I’m not one to tell you what to do, Shepard, but trust me on this. Ashley wants to be fucked, and she definitely wants to be fucked by you. Yes, I’ve been with her but I was a… stopgap… simply a dick for her to enjoy.”

“Selling yourself short there, Wrex.”

“I’m a realist, Shepard. I’m krogan, she’s human. No human is going to look at a krogan as a potential romantic partner, never mind some sort of mate. Don’t think that’s possible anyway. No, she was with me as a way to let off some steam. Don’t get me wrong, enjoyed every second. Human females definitely have some qualities any species of male can enjoy.”

“What about Tali?”

Wrex remained surprisingly quiet for a while. “I like her a lot, Shepard. She’s fucking adorable. Part of me just wants to hide her away from all the evil and cruelties of the galaxy. She’s my little friend, and I’d do anything to protect her.” I couldn’t help meet his eyes, nodding at the sincerity in his voice. I had seen the bond they’d already built. Then he smirked. “I will admit that there is this carnal part of me, that every krogan has, that simply wants to rip off that suit of hers and ruin her. I’ve already warned her about that, the fact I would hurt her, and most of me would feel awful about it. There’s that small part, one or two percent, that wants to throw her down and just ruin that pussy. But I could never do it. You do realise she’s a virgin, right?” I nodded. “And she’s crazy about you, Shepard. And the reason she comes to me is that she is completely and utterly sexually repressed being in that suit. It’s why she’s come to me and it’s why she’s looking at Ashley as a potential partner.”

“Wait, what? Ashley? I didn’t even think…”

“No idea if they are or not, but Tali has definitely shown as interest in Ashley, and she’s certainly told Tali what she thinks of her. Honestly, once Tali is out of that suit of hers, and I think it’ll happen soon, I believe Ashley will be having first go at that pussy. Good for both of them, I say.”

I couldn’t help chuckle. “I understand now what Garrus was talking about when going on about the relationships in this ship. So what about you and Alenko?”

“Look, you’ve obviously realised by now I like to fuck, Shepard, and I’ll fuck anyone. I’m too old to give a shit. But I also don’t do feelings. Once the other person gets those, I end it. I’m not sure he has feelings, but I think he has expectations I’m simply not willing to meet. I think he needs to find one of his own kind to have a proper relationship with.”

I ran a hand down my face at the revelations. “You understand why I keep my distance right? Shiala wasn’t a mistake, but I gave into temptation very easy regarding her. I think it was the connection from Feros. But Liara, Ashley, Tali, even Benezia… I keep my work and private life separate. You obviously know about the women I’ve been with otherwise as I haven’t kept it a secret…”

“You really liked that cop on Noveria, didn’t you?”

I couldn’t help sigh. “It was probably for the best we left when we did, Wrex, otherwise we would never have left. But even with her, I still though about…”

“You’ve got to let her go, Shepard.” I met his eyes again. He simply met mine before adding, “Trust me on this, Shepard. Lived a long time. You’ve carried it around for long enough. You need to let the anger, pain, hurt, everything, just let it go. Otherwise it’s just going to eat you up eventually, and you’re going to miss out on so many good things. You have a whole host of women that adore you, and they expect nothing else except your company. That cop on Noveria? I know for a fact she loves you already. Shiala? I reckon she feels the same as well. As for all the other woman, let’s just say I don’t stand a chance if you were to actually return their interest.”

“Wise words, Wrex.”

“I’m a krogan, Shepard. We’ve dealt with nothing but anger and pain for a thousand years. But because of that, we can’t afford what we would now call ‘weak’ emotions, things like love. We don’t make love or anything like that. We breed, simply because we have to do everything we can to keep our numbers at least level. That’s what the genophage has done to us.” Then he sighed. “Shepard, I’ve been a warrior all my life, like my father before me. Yet there was a time when we krogan did experience such things as joy, laughter, love… The genophage took all of that from us. They’ve ripped out everything that made us krogan. Those left are nothing but shells, now fighting over the shattered carcass of what we once were.” Damn, his words really got to me, not able to meet his eyes, his own voice heavy with emotion. I felt one of his hands grip my shoulder. “And I appreciate the fact my words impact you as they have, my friend. The fact you care means the world to someone like myself.”

“What can I do to help?”

“At the moment, absolutely nothing. No-one cares, Shepard. If we were to wither and die, there would be a news report about our demise, but it would appear memories are long and no-one is even close to considering an end to the genophage.” He sighed again. “Quite frankly, what was done to us was far crueller than simply just wiping us all out and ending it at the beginning.”

I didn’t say anything for a few minutes, going over in my head everything he’d just told me, before I finally straightened and turned to him. “I give you my word as an Alliance soldier, a Council Spectre, but most importantly as a human, I’ll do whatever I can to help Wrex, if you do what you think you should do.”

“You mean going home?” I nodded. “I haven’t been back to Tuchanka in a long time now. Barely remember what it looks like. Last time I was there, it was nothing but ruins. Probably looks the same even after all this time.”

“Let’s see what happens regarding Saren. Once we take the bastard down…”

“I’ll keep thinking about it, Shepard. See if I can make some contacts and if I still have some allies worth my time and day. If so, then maybe, just maybe, returning to Tuchanka is the right thing to do.”

I left him alone with his thoughts, heading over to Garrus for a quick chat. He’d been in a good mood after boarding the _Normandy_ after our last stop on the Citadel. I knew all about his relationship with Chloe, but knowing how awkward he could be about anything too personal, I didn’t ask him bluntly about it, simply making sure he’d enjoyed himself on the Citadel.

After a chat with him, I thought I’d head into engineering, checking in with Chief Adams, who always appreciated the fact I’d take the time to walk around the ship and chat with the crew, reporting in that everything was absolutely fine as always, and if anything even went momentarily wrong, he had the crew to deal with it.

I could see Tali glancing my way every so often, so I thought I’d have a quick chat with her as always. She was busy typing away at her workstation as I leaned back nearby. She glanced up at me for a moment, figuring she smiled, before concentrating on her work again.

“So I understand you want to have some fun with Ashley?” The fingers immediately froze, which did amuse me a little bit. “I mean, I can understand why, Tali. Ash is an attractive woman. But where does Wrex fit in all of this?”

“Keelah, I thought…”

“Tali, I’m certainly not judging. Do what you want. You’re only young once.”

“It’s not just that, Shepard.” She looked up, her eyes behind the mask meeting mine. “And you know what I mean.”

“In more ways than one, Tali. So… Ashley, are you serious about it?” I had a feeling she was blushing, as the nod was rather shy. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

That made her head turn, definitely in surprise. “You’re serious?”

“If you wish to be intimate with her, knowing the difficulties you face, I want to help.”

She sighed. “Damn it, Shepard, this is why I’d love you to be my first too.”

“And while part of me would like that, as I’ve explained, I keep ship life and personal life separate. I’ve done a lot of flirting with Ashley, and trust me on this, part of me would love to pin her down and just fuck her…”

“Why don’t you then?”

It was a good question. “It would change our dynamic, particularly unconsciously. Look, I like Ashley a lot. She’s absolutely gorgeous, everything I could wish for in a fellow soldier, and she’s just lovely to be around. As for you, Tali, I don’t think anyone on this vessel has a bad word to say about you. I love having you on here, but much like Ashley, I don’t want to ruin the relationship we already have by including sex in it. Sex is great, can be wonderful, but once you involve that sort of intimacy, it can ruin things. I need to have distance, mostly for myself.”

She reached out and grabbed my hand. “I understand, Shepard. Thank you for explaining.” She paused before asking, “The only one I question is Liara. What about her?”

“Same as you and Ashley.”

“And her mother?”

I couldn’t help chuckle. “Noticed the change in attitude, have you? Yeah, not sure about that, but she’s stuck here for the duration, so I’ll see what happens.” I gave her hand a squeeze. “How can I help you with Ashley?” I asked quietly, “I want you to experience the intimacy that can be shared with someone else.”

“I need a clean room, Shepard. Something completely sterile. I can do things for myself beforehand, but to take off my suit, I need to be somewhere no germs can attack me.”

“What about the Citadel? Can anywhere cater to your needs there?”

“I’m sure there are plenty of places but most won’t deal with quarians.”

“So I’ll sort it out for you.”

She did a double take again. “You’re serious? You’ll do that for us?”

“I want you to enjoy yourself, Tali, and you’ve made it clear you fancy Ashley, and I think you’ve also made it clear that she fancies you in return.”

“I do, and she does,” Tali whispered.

“Well, then I’m only doing a good thing by helping out. So I’ll start looking and sending messages, and will let you know where you can go next time we’re on the Citadel.”

“Would you like to join us? You can just watch and, if you’re interest…”

“I’ll think about it, but I do that, I’ll end up with both of you.”

Tali giggled. “I don’t think either of us will complain about that, Shepard.”

Laughing to myself, I headed out and back up to the mess, noticing Alenko and Ashley chatting away as they enjoyed a coffee break. Chakwas was deep in conversation with Benezia, Liara likely in her office to the rear. As everyone was busy and I didn’t want to bother anyone, I headed back to my quarters, opening up my personal workstation. Flicking through the messages, I felt he smile form immediately as I noticed one arrive from someone on Noveria. Opening the message, it wasn’t long but it was enough to make me probably grin like a love-struck fool. I didn’t waste any time responding, writing quite a lengthy message before I replied back. All I did know is that I missed her terribly, and despite my hopes, it would be unlikely I’d return any time soon.

Gianna wasn’t the only one to send me a message. Natasha Ross sent me the occasional email, apparently happy working with the Alliance in one of their sub-divisions. Couldn’t tell me what she was up to, but she was forever thankful for the letter of recommendation I’d given her. Emily was always asking about when I’d next be on the Citadel, eager to meet up. And Helena had sent me one message, simply thanking me for believing in her. Not sure what she was doing now, but she was glad to have moved on with her life.

Lying back on my bed after joining everyone else for dinner earlier, I found my mind going over what Wrex has said earlier. I guess I could just give into desire and fuck every woman on the ship who wanted me, but I was sure that would affect how the ship would otherwise operate. And it wasn’t that I didn’t trust them. I honestly didn’t trust myself. I could be their friend, their confidant, but their lover? I just felt that was too big a leap. I’d slept with Shiala a couple of times but hadn’t done so at all recently, and she was already aware that I was putting distance between us. Don’t get me wrong, I really liked her but… It was best for both of us. So I thought…

* * *

We were in orbit around a planet by the name of Nepheron. The Alliance had put in hours upon hours of investigative work into the leads Admiral Kohaku had found, and they’d come up with this planet. Whether this was the central base of operations for Cerberus or not, I wasn’t sure. All I did know is that the Alliance was adamant Cerberus did have an operations base on the planet, and I had absolutely control over what to do with it. Far as I was concerned, I was going to slaughter everyone inside then blow it up.

Everyone was on the ground for this one, and they all had their orders. No prisoners. No surrender. Anyone wearing a Cerberus symbol was a target. Floating in orbit, we could see there was nothing redeeming about the planet below us. Little wonder Cerberus had built such a base on it. No chance of any colonists showing up, messing up whatever they planned.

“Any last orders, Commander?” Alenko asked before we boarded the Mako.

“To be honest, no. You all know your jobs and requirements. Do not hesitate putting anyone you see in that uniform down. I don’t care if they are armed or not. Anyone disagree with that?” I looked across them all. Everyone met my eyes and nodded. “Good. That’s what I like to see. Load up, Joker will give us the call soon.”

We landed on Nepheron a couple of minutes later, immediately putting the Mako into drive. We’d located the facility during one of our sweeps. We had no doubt that Cerberus knew we were coming, and we would have known, and seen, if they’d tried to escape. Cresting a large hill, the Cerberus facility appeared ahead. It was enormous, and clearly a major hub of their operations. Quite frankly, the only thing missing was a vessel at what looked like a starport.

“Garrus, start firing at anything that looks like it’ll blow up. Once we’re in position, the rest of us will exit and start shooting. Remember, no prisoners.”

“Aye, sir,” or “Yes, Shepard,” echoed in the Mako.

Garrus was having a great time, firing the cannon at things that exploded, the machine gun working overtime as he shot anything capable of running or retuning fire. Once I figured we were close enough, I brought the Mako to a halt and ordered everyone to get out. There were no particular orders except not to get dead. I simply raised my assault rifle and looked for my first kill. Within seconds, my assault rifle was firing, finding one, two, then three targets in quick succession. Cerberus was dug in and ready for our assault. But they didn’t expect a trio of asari, as even Benezia was on the ground with us, trusting her to join us for this at least, while no-one expected a big, angry krogan. I laughed away as I noticed him haul one Cerberus soldier out of cover and practically slam him into the ground over and over. No-one dared approach Wrex until Tali cautiously approached, suggested there were others to kill. Wrex simply laughed, dropped the body, and ran towards his next victim.

It took a while to wipe out the opposition above ground, and by the time we were done, fires had broken out everywhere, alarms continued to ring, and there was no doubt Cerberus knew we were there. We found the entrance into the facility below ground, Tali managed to hack and open the large gate. Soon as it opened, we came under fire from those inside. That’s when those with tech ability and biotics proved their worth, while Ashley and I simply hurled a few grenades forward. After plenty of detonations, the lights now flickering, I led the way, remaining cautious, putting bullets into anyone who somehow survived.

Making it to what I assume was the main door leading into the facility, I called Alenko forward. “Remember the plan, LT?”

“Aye, Commander.”

“Take your team, move right. Clear each room. Run into difficulty, call it in, we’ll come running, but from everyone we’ve learned, this place is huge and will need two teams to sweep it clean.”

“At your go, Commander.”

Opening the door, I led the way in, the lights having been dimmed, emergency lighting now having taken effect. That didn’t both any of us, gesturing for Alenko to move with his team, as I took my team to the left. We were methodical and cautious, clearing out each room we found. Some were empty, others had either people which we shot, or databases and workstations we could hack. I’m sure we shot some people who could be considered ‘innocents’, but as far as I was concerned, if you were within the base, you were an enemy combatant. I’d seen what Cerberus has already done.

Despite all the bodies we left above ground, Cerberus did put up a fight, eventually sending plenty of people forward, the corridors turning into a bloodbath. Explosions rocked the facility, the gunfire was incessant, near deafening at times. And the screams as troops fell to the ground, trying to stem the bleeding or keep their guts from spilling out. As we moved forward, I wasn’t the only one to execute those that were still alive before moving to the next room or corridor. More than once, I heard the shotgun of Tali behind me explode, while Benezia took joy in using her biotics in doing rather unspeakable things to those who wore that symbol. At any other time, I’d have said something, but when it came to Cerberus, after everything we’d learned and discovered, I found myself not caring one little bit.

I had been hoping to discover someone in charge, but while we killed a lot of their soldiers and scientist, either the person in charge had escaped or they’d been killed during our assault. Entering what I assumed was their main chamber, they made their last stand. That’s when we took a few hits, as they threw everything at us. All we did was launch grenades, tech and biotic attacks, while Wrex seemed to simply psyche himself up then simply charge forward. Watching an enormous krogan smash through their barrier and start flinging people around is amusing until you realise their fire turned form you to him. Basically, he was the perfect distraction at that moment, and we started to mow them down.

Only when I approached him and murder remained in his eyes was I concerned. He turned and grabbed me by the throat, the look in his eyes suggesting he had forgotten who I was. I didn’t do anything for a moment and didn’t say a thing as I knew it wouldn’t do anything. He’d told me all he was experiencing. I felt his hands squeeze my throat. All I did was reach forward and place a hand on his shoulder. It took a few seconds, but that seemed to calm him down. A second hand on his shoulder, this one from Tali, calmed him further.

“It’s okay, Wrex,” Tali said quietly.

“Huh?” Wrex asked, shaking his head.

“It’s us, Wrex. You’re…. um, holding… Shepard.”

Wrex looked at me and immediately removed his hand from my throat. “Oh…”

I merely clasped his shoulder tighter. “You okay, my friend?”

“Oh, I’m fine, but… Shepard…”

“Don’t worry. You told me it happens sometimes. I’m still alive, that’s what matters. And you did good, Wrex. Cleared out a lot of these bastards.”

“That blood rage is a bitch sometimes.” Then he turned to Tali and gave her a hug. “Thank you, little one.”

“Didn’t want you choking Shepard to death,” she retorted with humour, Wrex rumbling with laughter as the three of us walked towards the others.

Bodies lay everywhere. Plenty of those wearing armour, but quite a few that wore lab coats. We searched them for evidence as Tali and Alenko approached what appeared to be a massive computer. As I watched everything, I heard Tali shout out. “Shepard, they’re deleting everything!”

“Get whatever the fuck you can, Tali!”

“Alenko, help me!” Tali cried. The two of them took a workstation each, their fingers working overtime as they tried to capture whatever it was that Cerberus was up to. I hoped we could gain enough information to figure out what they were doing, who led them, what they were hoping to achieve. The concern I had was even the Alliance didn’t seem to know much about them. Labelled them a terrorist organisation, they’d been behind a few things that had made the news, but apart from that, they knew very little.

The pair of them saved what they could but when the countdown timer started, that’s when I suggested we get the hell out of there. We all ran for the entrance, hearing the time count down from sixty, fifty, forty, thirty, twenty. It was down to ten by the time we all ran out of the entrance, gathering near the Mako as the ground started to rumble, hearing explosions beneath our feet. We quickly boarded the Mako, some simply clambering onto the roof or side as I floored it. The ground didn’t exactly disappear beneath our feet but I wasn’t prepared to take that chance, eventually driving up a hill and coming to a stop, all of us gathering together as we looked down upon the now destroyed Cerberus facility.

“Reckon that’s the end of them?” Ashley wondered.

“Doubt it,” I muttered, “Anyone know their mythology? Know who or what Cerberus was?” No-one answered. “I’ll put it simply. Cerberus was known as the hound of Hades, a multi-headed dog that guarded the gates of the Underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. Got to love Ancient Greek mythology.”

“So then if this was one of their operations, there would be at least a few more?” Garrus asked.

“Bingo, Garrus. I reckon this was but one arm of what they were doing. We’ve put a dent into whatever they were trying to achieve here, but there are at least two more heads to kill. We just need to find them.”

Calling in the _Normandy_, we were picked up a few minutes later, and I ordered Joker to take us to the nearest relay, ready for the next mission. As we were making our way, I received a communication from someone I simply didn’t expect to hear from. Apparently Kohaku had made some contacts during his investigation into Cerberus, including the Shadow Broker. He was the one now trying communicate with me, asking Joker to patch it through. After he explained everything to me, he asked I was willing to forward everything we’d discovered on Nepheron to him.

“What do I get out of it?” I wondered.

“_The assistance of a valuable ally should run into trouble further down the line, Commander. You have little idea of my reach. Don’t hand the data over, I will find it eventually. But had it over now, and consider yourself to be in the favour of the Shadow Broker. Make of that what you wish.”_

“Fuck it, you know what? Have the data. I don’t really give a shit. I’ll ask my colleagues to send it to you as soon as possible.”

_“Thank you, Shepard. Expect to see some credits in your account within the next solar day. I will also ask all of my associates, most of who you won’t know, to assist you in regards to your mission regarding the rogue Spectre Saren. I wish you well in your attempt to take him down._”

And, with those final words, the communication link was cut. I had a feeling that wouldn’t be the last time I had dealings with the Shadow Broker, but for now, I liked to think things were slightly in my favour.

* * *

“Oh fuck,” Kaidan moaned. Wrex was being his usual self, not gentle at all. They’d been fucking for a while by now so the end was near at least.

“Not long,” Wrex grunted.

Kaidan could only lean down against the table and wait for it to be over. It might sound like he wasn’t enjoying it. He was, but Wrex lasted a long time and there’s only so much the human body can take before it cries enough. The big krogan finally buried himself a final time, causing Kaidan to yelp, feeling him fill up before the krogan seemed to relax behind him. Then, as the krogan withdrew, he felt disappointed as he was suddenly empty.

“I’ll admit, I do still enjoy this,” Wrex mumbled as he took a few steps back to lean against the wall.

Kaidan didn’t move, not trusting his body for the moment. “Still having second thoughts?” The krogan remained silent. That gave Kaidan his answer, though he wasn’t going to make a big deal about it. “Wrex, I’m not going to cry or get upset about it. We’ve had fun but if you want to stop, then we’ll stop.”

“Despite what we just did?”

He couldn’t help chuckle. “Consider it a last hurrah.” He turned his head to see Wrex behind him. “Plus, I know you’ve been with others and can understand…”

Wrex shook his head. “No, that’s not important and not the reason why. You know why I’m… reconsidering…” Wrex walked forward, grabbing a pair of chairs to sit down, his massive cock dangling between his legs. “Look, Kaidan, you’re a sweet guy, even I can tell that. But while you’re getting your rocks off with me, you should be out there looking for someone to love. And I’ll put this as bluntly as possible. I’m not it. I love to fuck, and fucking you is a lot of fun, but it’s not going to go anywhere. Trust me, find someone to love, whether it’s your own species or, I don’t know, turian or… whoever you find yourself attracted to.”

Kaidan nodded in understanding. “Last hurrah then, Wrex. But it’s been fun.”

The big krogan stood up started to dress himself. “Well, I can honestly say human men and women are a lot of fun to be physical with, at least. Never thought that would happen when joining up.”

Kaidan just sat on the desk, wincing slightly. “And I never thought I’d end up being fucked by an enormous krogan.”

Wrex chuckled. “Hell, you, Ashley and Shepard have proven to be rather open-minded when it comes to the sex with aliens thing.” Kaidan watched him approach, laying a hand on his shoulder. “But this is for the best. Find someone that you can love and also be intimate with.”

“And if I can’t?”

“Then you can call me.”

It was said in such a tone, Kaidan couldn’t help but laugh. “Thanks, Wrex. I might just do that someday for old times’ sake.”

Wrex wandered out of the room, leaving Kaidan alone for a while. All he did was lie back and let the dull ache subside. Sex was always good but, well, Wrex being as large as he was, no matter what they did, it was going to hurt. A good sort of hurt, but there was always residual pain afterwards.

“Going to dress or what, LT?” Kaidan couldn’t help but cringe as he looked up, noticing Shepard at the door. He went to cover himself, still naked on the table. “Swear to god, I’m just going to rename this as the ‘sex room’. Everyone seems to like fucking in here.”

He was surprised Shepard didn’t seem bothered about his nudity, so stopped covering himself up. He noticed Shepard smirk. “Trust me, LT, you get used to seeing everything. Comfortable in my own sexuality so I’m not making a big deal out of it.”

Chuckling, he asked, “Did you actually need something, Shepard? Or just here to shoot the shit while I sit here naked and feeling rather awkward about it?”

“I’ve received an assignment that I need your help with. Just come through so it’s still fresh in my mind. Ever heard of Major Kyle?”

“Name rings a bell. Something about Torfan?”

“Bingo. He was the CO there. Saw a lot of shit go down. Apparently suffering PTSD, but apart from his discharge, he apparently had next to no help. Started a biotic commune, and all seemed well. Alliance sent two officers to chat with him a few days back. Haven’t been heard from since. Hackett wants me to go in and talk to him. Figured taking a couple of biotics along would help.”

“You referencing my time at BAaT, sir?”

“That’s exactly what I’m going on about. All I want to do is end it peacefully.”

“You think the two officers are dead?” Shepard nodded. “Shit, alright, let me get dressed and we can discuss this further.” He couldn’t help chuckle though. “I know you’ve done this just to make me feel awkward.”

“Yep, you’re right there,” Shepard retorted before he wandered out.

Kaidan dressed but he really needed a shower first as he was rather hot, sweaty and sticky after his exertions, so after he’d had a nice clean, he found Shepard in the mess, going over the details of what the former Major Kyle had apparently been up to. He didn’t know they were already on their way, Shepard suggesting they’d be in orbit outside the planet the next day.

Loading into the Mako for the usual drop, only Shiala and Liara were alongside him, Shepard only bringing biotics for the mission, the only reason he was going is that he was in charge. He’d already told him in confidence that, if he had his choice, he would have let Alenko deal with it himself. He couldn’t help smile at the trust that showed in him.

Shepard didn’t have anyone take the gun as the team landed, not expecting any sort of resistance when they arrived. Major Kyle wouldn’t have known they were coming but he certainly wouldn’t go picking a fight. Shepard had already talked about trying to reason with him, talk him into coming back for treatment, suggesting it was the clearest case of PTSD he’d ever seen. “God knows what the poor bastard saw on Torfan,” he’d stated, “The sort of shit that stays on your soul and conscience for your life. The Alliance did the right thing giving him an honourable discharge and early retirement, but let him down by not immediately giving him the treatment he obviously needs.

“What about these other biotics?” Alenko asked.

“I can’t claim to understand how they feel. Well, slightly, I guess. Grew up the streets, no-one gives a shit about you, more inclined to spit at rather than help you. But I can admit that biotics have probably had it a whole lot worse. You’ve told me enough about yourself, LT.”

“Some stuff I certainly don’t need remembering…”

We landed far enough away from the sanctuary that it took a few minutes to drive there. From what we could see, it may have once been a mining complex, since abandoned. Shepard doubted that Kyle had the money nor resources to get something this large off the ground. They looked self-sufficient enough from the outside. Before getting out of the Mako, Shepard ordered everyone to remain unarmed. Alenko certainly thought that was a good idea. Four people armed with weapons was bound to send the wrong signal.

It was no surprise that Shepard managed to talk his way into the building, using reason instead of threats. Alenko could see that even Shepard understood these people were no threat. They were scared, possibly abused, and saw Kyle as some sort of protector.

Once inside, the place was full of young people, most of them looking their way and he could see the fear on their faces. It made him feel guilty, at least for a moment. Shepard strode forward slowly, ensuring he didn’t give anyone a fright. One or two did approach, asking why they were there. Shepard said that they were simply there to speak with Major Kyle. From what Alenko heard, it was obvious that Kyle cared for them as much as they cared for him. This could be tricky if things went pear-shaped…

The four of them eventually found Kyle in a room with only a couple of biotics as guards. He didn’t seem all that surprised to see them. He recognised Shepard on appearance, immediately wondering why he was there, and was definitely wondering why he’d brought two asari along.

“We have no quarrel with you, Commander. Why can’t you and the Alliance just leave us alone?” Kyle finally asked after going on a long speech about what he was trying to achieve.

When Shepard asked about the previous two officers, that seemed to rile up Kyle even more, and the words he used suggested that he’d well and truly gone off the deep end, using religious terms such as ‘blasphemy’, though Alenko could see where he was coming from when he described those who followed him as ‘his family’ and that he did what he had to for the protection of ‘his children’.

“Do you understand who these people are, Commander?” Kyle finally asked.

“No. Who are they?”

“Ever heard of BAaT?”

“Are you saying these people are from Jump Zero?” Kaidan asked.

Kyle looked at him. “You are?”

“Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, sir. I was once at BAaT.”

He heard one of the guards whisper his name. Kyle nodded in understanding. “Michael, grab the others. Grab them all. The Commander will soon understand.”

“Understand what?”

“You will see, Commander. Has Lieutenant Alenko told you all there is to know about what happened at Jump Zero?”

Shepard looked at Kaidan. He returned his look. “I know it was bad, but was it…”

“People died, Shepard. Kids died. It was only when we fought back that things changed and they shut the program down.”

“Holy shit. Really?”

“Ends justified the mean. No-one knew anything about biotics. Any human that showed potential was shipped out there and pushed to the absolute limit, to and beyond their breaking point.”

The two asari had taken seats on nearby crates, Shepard doing the same, as the room was soon filled with biotics. Alenko recognised more than one of them, and they recognised him, immediately approaching, hearing the whispers of his name, more than one calling him their saviour. He hadn’t been their saviour. He’d been a scared kid, who’d seen one of his best friends hurt, and he’d reacted. He certainly hadn’t meant to kill the turian, but when push came to shove…

“You recognise some of them, don’t you, Lieutenant Alenko?” He nodded. “They are not just survivors of BAaT, of course. The Alliance has sent biotics across the galaxy to learn what they are capable of. But back home, they are treated like vermin, people afraid of what they simply don’t understand. Here, under my guidance, they are safe, cared for, and will suffer no harm.”

“That’s all well and good, Major, but you still ordered your children to commit murder. The stain of the dead officers now rests on their conscience. Are you suggesting that you will make them live with that?”

“I cannot abandon them, Commander.”

“You won’t have to. I know of a colony that needs all the help they can get. They are isolated from the rest of the galaxy, and have just experienced their own difficulties. If your children wish for a peaceful life, then I can transport them there. But you must come in with us, Major. Someone must answer for what happened here. Your children are innocent. Let them continue to live their lives in that innocence.”

Kyle sighed. “What do you think, Lieutenant Alenko?”

He looked around, recognising some faces. Most of them were scared. Not of them. They were simply scared. He could feel the nerves flood in from around the room. “I look around this room, Major, and see the same frightened kids I was with not all that long ago. Most of us survived Jump Zero together.” He looked around, meeting their eyes. “I am sorry that your lives have not turned out like mine. I would have thought and hoped the Alliance would have stepped up to help. For that, I can only apologise. But if you come with the Commander and I right now, there is a colony where you will be at peace. Life will be difficult, but you will be isolated from the galaxy. This colony only needs your help. There will be no real questions of who you are, where you are from, what you have done. You will find friends there who will accept you for who you are.”

He looked back at Kyle, who nodded his agreement. “Very well, Lieutenant.” He clapped his hands. “My children, the time has come for us to part.” There were immediate calls for that not to happen. Kyle raised his hands for silence. “My children, please, listen to me!” Once he had silence, he continued. “What I asked you to do to those officers was wrong. But it is on my conscience those souls should rest, not yours. And I believe what Lieutenant Alenko has told us. Though we may part, you will now find a new home where you will thrive as people, away from the pain and the horrors of the galaxy. And if you stay together, you will live in peace and harmony for the rest of your days.”

“And you, Father? What will you do?” one of his children asked.

“I will face the consequences of my actions, child. But once I have paid the penalty, I will endeavour to re-join you. I give you my word on that.”

There were plenty of grumbles. More than one was unhappy. But no-one really wanted to fight. Shepard didn’t handcuff Kyle or do anything to upset or anger the group. He let Kyle say goodbye to them all before escorting him out. Once he had Kyle loaded into the Mako, the four gathered outside. “We’ll have to organise shuttles to pick them up and send them to Feros,” Shepard said.

“Will the Alliance do that?”

“I’m sure I’m owed a few favours. I’ll get in contact with Captain Anderson, explain everything we’ve found here, then simply leave them to it. Don’t particularly want to hang around and overstay our welcome.”

Shepard eventually found a couple of children who appeared to be the leaders outside of Kyle. He sat them down and explained what would happen. Kyle would go with us now, but we would organise transport for them. The people who collected them would not wear Alliance colours or symbols, and all that would happen is that they would be picked up and dropped off. Shepard left his contact details so, if anything else happened, they were to contact him immediately and we would come and sort it out.

Back on the _Normandy_, they let Kyle cool off in the brig, making sure he was comfortable. Shepard wandered in to speak with him every so often. The two hadn’t served together, but Shepard knew everything about Torfan. That is how he knew Kyle. Alenko didn’t know as much as Shepard, had plenty of questions of his own about the survivors from BAaT, but he was happy that they would now hopefully go on to lead peaceful lives.

He was sitting in the mess later that night by himself, nursing a can of beer. Shepard wandered out of his quarters, noticed him sitting alone, grabbing his own beer before sitting opposite him. “Want to talk about it?”

He looked up and met his eyes. “Lot to tell, Shepard.”

Shepard smirked. “Don’t call me that often, Kaidan.”

“Just a sign of respect, sir.” He sipped at his beer before sighing. “Shit, I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

“Don’t curse often either.”

That made him chuckle. “What can I say? Just thinking about BAaT… It changes who you are, Shepard. You think it doesn’t. You think you can square it all away in your head, but it’s the sort of shit that stays with you for life. Particularly where it’s the place where you first killed a man. Or turian. Same thing.”

“How did it feel when you did it though?”

“Honestly? The word is righteous, Shepard. He was a bastard, and while I won’t say he deserved to die, he had it coming. He hurt those I cared about. I only wanted him to finally stop and see sense, but I guess when you’re backed into a corner, you learn what you are truly capable of.”

“Some of what you told me before, Kaidan. Horrifying doesn’t even begin…”

“I can almost forgive a lot of it simply because no-one had a clue what they were doing. But the Alliance should have at least asked the asari for help. They’re the most naturally gifted biotics in the galaxy. God, if we’d had a few of them to train us, BAaT would have been a massive success. Still operating now, I believe. Kids would come out fit, healthy and able to live with their condition.”

“Surprised you don’t have your own issues with the Alliance.”

“I still do from time to time, but as I said, I can forgive a lot simply because I can understand. We were diving into the unknown, much like those first pilots who went through the Mass Relays when we found them. We still don’t know everything about biotics, how it does effect the human body.”

“And Kyle, what do you think?”

“He’s clearly messed up from what happened on Torfan. He clearly needed those kids to save them. From the little I know about Torfan…”

“He lost nearly every soldier under his command.”

“Little wonder then he’s gathered all this ‘children’, desperate to save them this time.” He trailed off and shook his head. “God, I love serving but… Damn, the Alliance gets things wrong badly at times. I mean, no-one is perfect but they’ve really dropped the ball a few times.”

“All we can do is work to make it better, Kaidan.”

“It’s why I joined up, Shepard. I wanted to make a difference. I didn’t want another Jump Zero to happen.”

Shepard chugged his can, squashing it in his hand. “Good. Glad you’re doing okay.”

“Come out here to check on me, Shepard?”

“I figured you knew a few faces in the crowd.”

He nodded. “I did. Guess I ended up coming out of it a lot better than most of them.”

“Once I get word that they’re landed on Feros, I’ll see if Juliana or someone can get in contact, let you know how they’re getting on.”

“I’d like that, Shepard. Thanks.”

“No worries. Now, I’ve got shit to do. We’re heading to the Citadel as we’ve been on assignment for quite a while. While we’re there, we’ll hopefully find out our next move in regards to Saren.”

Shepard headed off and Alenko quietly sipped at his beer, a slight smirk on his face. The one thing Shepard probably didn’t know is that Alenko did recognise a few faces. And of those faces, let’s just say that he’d been intimate with more than one of them. But that was for him to know only. A man has to keep some secrets.


	14. Book 1, Chapter 14 - The Chief and the Quarian

We hadn’t been on the Citadel in quite some time. I’d been in contact with Anderson regarding our next move, and he suggested that I return to the Citadel so I could sit down with him to go through what we’d discovered. I had a feeling he knew more than he could share in his messages, and to be honest, I didn’t mind the idea of returning to the Citadel for a proper break. Sure, the crew had down time between planets, but they generally remained hard at work, and most rarely had the chance to leave the vessel. Whenever we were on the Citadel, the entire crew was given a chance to spend some time off the ship.

Once the ship had docked and we started to power down the main systems, the crew were eager to get off the ship. I didn’t blame them as anyone was bound to go a little crazy after so long on a ship. Even Joker, who I knew found difficulty moving at the best of times due to the brittle bones in his legs, was eager for some freedom.

I happily watched the entire crew depart as, once they all left, I’d simply lock the ship up until Alliance crew turned up to stock up our supplies and give the ship a good once over. We looked after it as best we could, but after weeks flying around space, the _Normandy_ was in desperate need of some TLC. As the crew wandered towards the nearby stairs and elevators, I pulled Ash and Tali aside, waiting until we had privacy before talking to them.

Handing over a datapad, I explained. “I’ve booked you three nights at a hotel on the Presidium. Four star. Breakfast and dinner included, and this includes food that you can eat, Tali. Bedroom overlooking the lake. Enormous bathroom, probably the size of my cabin. And, most importantly, the hotel will include a portable decontamination unit so you girls can have some fun.”

Tali couldn’t say anything. All she did was hug me tightly. Glancing at Ashley, it was the first time I’d ever seen her close to tears, eventually needing to hug me too. “Shepard, you need to join us,” Tali murmured.

I couldn’t help the sigh. “Trust me, Tali. Part of me wants to but…”

“Shepard, neither of us will treat you any differently nor expect anything different,” Ashley added.

I shook my head. “It’s not how you will change, Ash. It’s me.”

She took a chance, and the soft kiss on my lips spoke volumes. After opening my eyes to meet hers, her eyes spoke even more. “Shepard, it’s time to stop denying what you want. We’re no longer on the ship. I can understand why you want to keep the barrier up while we’re flying around space. Tali does too.” She hadn’t let me go yet, though I wasn’t going to complain. “Shepard, I’m going to put this simply. You are more than welcome to join us the entire time…”

“Definitely,” Tali added quietly, looking up at me, noticing her eyes change behind the mask.

“Why don’t you two enjoy tonight alone first? I know you’ve wanted something like this for a while.”

Tali let me go and turned to Ashley, taking one of her hands. “I do want to be with you too, Ashley,” she said quietly, I think either nervous or perhaps even embarrassed admitting it in front of me.

“I’ve never been with a woman before,” Ashley confessed.

“Then it’s your first time together in more ways than one,” I stated, both of them looking at me. “Look, enjoy your time tonight together. If you still want to invite me along, send me a message tomorrow and I’ll join you then.”

That earned a hug from both of them. “I want you to fuck me so hard, Shepard,” Ashley whispered.

“I just want…” Ashley let me go to let Tali just hug me alone. “Ashley will be my first woman. You will definitely be my first man, Shepard.”

“Okay, it’s a date.” That made Ashley smile, and judging by her eyes, Tali smiled too. “I’ll make sure we do it properly. We’ll have dinner first, perhaps a few drinks, then we’ll have some fun together.”

I received one last hug and then they wandered off, hand in hand. I couldn’t help stand there and smile as it was clear they really liked each other. Once I was alone, I headed off in another direction, eventually ending up on one of the Wards, walking towards a building I remembered rather well. It was late enough where I figured she might be home, riding the lift to her floor and knocking on the door. When she opened it, she nearly dropped the glass she was holding, dragging me inside with her other hand, kicking the door shut with her foot before she hugged me.

“Holy shit!” she exclaimed quietly.

“Thought I’d pop by and see you, Emily.” She didn’t say anything, placing her glass on the nearby bar before wrapping both arms around me. I did the same, eventually lifting her up, feeling her legs wrap around me. “Missed me?” I asked. She leaned back to meet my eyes. I couldn’t help smile at the depth of feeling that greeted me. “I’ll take that as a yes then,” I stated before I kissed her.

“First we fuck. Had dinner?” I shook my head. “Okay, you’re definitely fucking me right now, Shepard. Then we can head out for dinner. Then… Head back here?”

“Why don’t we just order in?”

She laughed. “Even better. Barely have to leave the bedroom then.”

Carrying her into her bedroom wasn’t a problem. She definitely enjoyed taking her time undressing me. Her clothes may have disappeared slightly faster before we lay down on the bed. I spent plenty of time worshipping her body, not an inch of skin going untouched somehow. I think she almost enjoyed an orgasm just from the attention I showed to her breasts. Once I moved down to her pussy, she couldn’t hold it back any longer. If it had been later at night, the neighbours would have complained about the noise.

I ate her out until she simply had to ask me to stop, kissing back up her body until my eyes met hers, and I couldn’t help the smug smile that would have appeared. That just made her giggle. “Been a while, Shepard? You seemed to enjoy that.”

“I made a close friend on Noveria. Since then, I’ve been rather well behaved.”

“And your first thought when returning here was to see me?”

“Of course. We’ve kept in contact, we’re clearly attracted to each other, and I wanted to see you.”

“Okay, now we’re changing plans. Once you’ve fucked me, we’re definitely heading out. I want to be seen on a date with Commander Shepard… Do you mind?”

I couldn’t help chuckle again. “Not at all.” I leaned down to kiss her as I gently slid inside her, enjoying the gasp she made as I slowly buried my length. “But you did mention something about getting fucked, right?”

“Should I hold on tight, Shepard?” she asked, wrapping her arms around the back of my neck, feeling her move her legs so they were spread nice and wide.

“Can I admit I won’t last long? It’s been a few days.”

“Last time you remained hard after you came in me. I’m sure you’ll do it again.”

So that’s what happened. Emily Wong got seriously fucked over the next few minutes. She held on for dear life but seemed to love every second, even begging for more, harder, faster, deeper, with each passing minute. I was never going to last long doing that, especially when her eyes met mine. I loved it when women did that. Eye contact will always be sexy as fuck. And the way they breathe your name when you’re fucking. Add that to eye contact, and how it feels to be buried inside them, and an orgasm is guaranteed.

I came hard within a few minutes. There’s no shame in not lasting long. Sex doesn’t have to be a marathon. Plus, I was young enough where I could remain relatively hard, and what I’d learned over time is that women loved to ride my cock, or at least women that I’d been intimate with. Emily had no problem pushing me so I lay on my back, happily mounting me and quickly establishing a rhythm that made her rather happy.

“Jesus, Shepard, I don’t know what it is…” She trailed off and shuddered, “But it makes me want to cum.”

“Then cum a few times then we’ll head out for dinner.”

“I’ll be worn out by then!”

But she rode me hard and fast, definitely wanting to enjoy at least one orgasm. Her first one took a little time in arriving, but once she came once, the next two arrived rather quickly. After the third, I thought she might keep going until she simply collapsed, instead resting on my chest as she sucked in some deep breaths, simply running my fingers down her spine. Neither of us said anything, there wasn’t really any point. We’d definitely enjoyed what just occurred.

Getting up off me, she grabbed my hand and led me to her shower, where I particularly enjoyed washing every part of her body as we made out. She then surprised me by washing me down then getting down on her knees to blow me. “You didn’t cum again, Shepard,” she said. Those were the only words she said before swallowing my length and taking a load in the mouth a few minutes later. I could only lean back against the tiled wall as she stood up, a satisfied look on her face. “Should we get ready to head out?” she wondered, turning off the shower. I’m sure I stepped out with a goofy grin on my face.

Emily wanted nothing more than to hold my hand and perhaps lean into my body as we walked from her apartment. I had no idea what she planned, I’m not sure she had planned anything either. We eventually found a little corner restaurant, no more than half a dozen tables, that only had a few things on the menu. But it wasn’t the food or drink, or even the privacy as to why we ended up there. Sitting in the corner, the lighting low, she was utterly gorgeous, and I know I stared at her at times, enough that she was probably self-conscious from time to time. We made small talk the entire time, Emily understanding I couldn’t go into great detail about what I was up to, but I threw her a bone or two, simply as a favour.

After dinner, we continued to walk arm in arm, ending up at some sort of fancy bar, where the drinks were overpriced, the people behind the bar trained in the art of mixing drinks, and the clientele probably making more money in a month then I made in a year. We had one drink each before Emily was whispering in my ear about going home. I certainly wasn’t going to refuse that request.

Compared to the urgency of how we ended up in bed the first time, when we entered her apartment later, I think we wanted each other even more second time around but we definitely took our time. Once we ended up in her bedroom again, I can honestly say that we made love this time. It was so similar to my time with Gianna, it almost scared me at times. Emily certainly seemed to look at me differently this time, and when she was riding me, my hands caressing her body, and definitely her face or through her hair, I could see the depth of feeling in her eyes, or the way she kissed me. You can easily sense how one feels just through a kiss.

Though we could have made love all night, we eventually just lay together, Emily in my arms, simply enjoying the feeling of our bodies pressed together. She definitely seemed rather content with how things had developed. I’ll admit I liked being with her too. “Haven’t even asked you for a favour this time,” she joked.

“Well, when I’ve dealt with Saren, how about an exclusive interview?”

“You’re serious?”

“Sure.”

“God, networks will be falling over themselves to get an interview with you.”

“So? I don’t owe them anything. I’m willing to help you out for no other reason than you’ve always been fair, not only to me, but to all of us.”

“If we hadn’t done what we’d just done, I’d think you were just trying to get into my pants, Shepard.”

That made me laugh. “Well, if I can get into your pants after the interview…”

“I’ll be lucky to make it all the way through without wanting you to just pin me down and fuck me on camera.”

That was quite the thought, both of us chuckling away, before I felt her snuggle and relax against me, eventually falling asleep together. Though it would have been nice to spend the next couple of days together, she still had a job to do, but I promised we would spend each night I was on the Citadel together, so after we had breakfast, she headed out to her office, giving me the code to her front door so I could come and go as I pleased.

Remembering the invite I had from Ashley and Tali, I sent them a message, letting them know I would only be with Emily during my time on the Citadel. I was expecting them to be angry or upset with me, but surprisingly, Ashley replied quickly, stating she understood, but they would both be forever thankful to me for organising and making sure everything was paid for. I decided I should at least give them a call.

“Was the room okay?”

_“Wonderful, Shepard. The views of the Presidium…”_

“And did they treat you okay, Tali?”

_“You must have given them warning, Shepard. I’ve never been treated so kindly.”_

“And you girls had fun last night?”

_“We recorded some of it for you, Shepard,”_ Ashley replied, _“Let me tell you one thing. Tali is beautiful. I mean, like you wouldn’t believe.”_

_“And Ashley is already very good at eating my pussy, Shepard.”_

I couldn’t help chuckle. “I’m glad you girls enjoyed yourself.”

_“We both still want you to fuck us, Shepard. But we understand if you’re busy at the moment,”_ Ashley said.

_“Though I wouldn’t mind two more nights with you, Ash. Still have more exploration to do.”_

_“I just want those fingers inside me again, Tali. God, it felt good.”_

I heard a kiss before Tali whispered_, “Well, I think we should hang up as my pussy needs your attention again, and I’ve definitely got to have another taste of you.”_

“I’ll see you later, girls.”

“_Bye, Shepard,_” their voices stated in unison before the line disconnected.

It was late by the time Emily returned. As exhausted as she appeared, I barely gave her a chance to sit down before I told her we should head out for dinner. It was better than either of trying to cook, as I was the type of guy who could burn cereal, so we headed out into one of the Wards, finding a restaurant that sold food that was supposed to be similar from her homeland. It was simple, fun and rather relaxing, sitting for a good few hours, eating and drinking, chatting about ourselves, our work, our past, our hopes and dreams. I think that surprised her, the fact I thought about the future, though I admitted that, most of the time, you just hope to see the next sunrise.

Returning to her apartment, we were both in a good mood, and although we probably desired more than ever, we certainly took our time undressing each other in her bedroom. She had me naked while she still had on her underwear, kissing down my chest before she sat on her knees, looking up as she grabbed my cock and proceeded to make love to it with her mouth.

“I have one question, Shepard.”

“Uh-huh…”

“Where?”

“I really don’t care, Emily. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

I didn’t stop looking into her eyes, running a hand through her thick hair. Her eyes suggested she would be smiling if her mouth wasn’t full of my cock. I would have loved to return the favour at the same time, but to be honest, it was so good, I wouldn’t have been able to concentrate on her. So I simply enjoyed the attention, letting her know how good it felt, and how good it was. I think that would have made her smile even more… if her mouth wasn’t full of my cock.

“God, haven’t been blown like this in a while…”

She removed it for just a moment, resting it against her cheek. “I want your cum, Shepard.” I couldn’t help raise my eyebrows at the tone she used. “Once I’ve swallowed what you give me, I hope you’ll return the favour.”

“Definitely. Like I wouldn’t?”

Her mouth resumed pleasuring me and it wasn’t long before I had to warn her I was close. That just made her head bob up and down even faster, near enough gasping for air at the attention. My hold on her head tightened, feeling her free hand grab mine as I could feel the inevitable.

“Close, Emily…. So close…”

She squealed when the first blast filled her mouth, though she kept on bobbing away, feeling my balls empty themselves completely, my mind emptying of any and all thoughts as I felt nothing but a sense of relief. Even though I’d just cum hard, my cock remained rather erect, though Emily finally removed her mouth, quite happily remaining on her knees, looking up at me, now able to see her smile. She was beautiful…

“So you enjoyed it?” I couldn’t help chuckle as I helped her up and gave her a kiss. “I only do that for guys I really like, Shepard. Not the blowjob, I mean the swallowing. You must have a good diet.”

“Have to eat healthy,” I replied softly, caressing her cheek, “I think we should get you naked now.”

“And then what will you do?” she asked softly.

“What I really want to do, Ms. Wong, is eat your pussy all night.”

The smile those words earned made my heart flutter. “Nothing else? You don’t want…”

I leaned down close to her ear. “I love eating your pussy, Emily. All night, if you want.”

“God yes,” she breathed, “Though I think I’ll definitely have to suck your cock again for that.”

I chuckled as I agreed.

Laying her back on her bed, I took off her bra first and focused my attention on her upper body, complimenting her breasts by giving those plenty of attention. Kissing down her body, over her stomach and down to her panties, I inhaled her scent, and once I removed the thin piece of cloth, she immediately spread her legs to show how turned on she was. “That’s what you do to me,” she whispered.

I have no long how long I ate her out for. Didn’t count her orgasms, though I took my time to start off with, just enjoying the sounds she made, the movements of her body, the desire and lust in her eyes as she looked down at me. I teased her relentlessly, nearly bringing her to orgasm before frustrating her. She soon realised what I was doing, knowing I wanted to hear her beg for release. I didn’t make her wait too long, and once she had her first one…

She did end up sitting on my face later, simply grinding her pussy into my mouth, both her hands running through my hair. “How the hell are you single?” she wondered, before her face fell. “Shit, sorry…”

I lifted her up for a moment. “Nothing to apologise for. Being single means I can do this though.”

Once she had another orgasm riding my face, she flipped around and she blew me as I continued to eat her out. We didn’t quite cum together. I’ll admit I lasted all of five minutes before she swallowed another load, eating her out to another orgasm before she simply had to cry enough, flipping back around and lying down on my chest so I could hold her.

“Never had a night like this,” she said.

“How do you mean?”

“I mean being with a guy who wanted little in return. Most guys I’ve been with eat me out begrudgingly yet expect me to blow them then have them fuck me. Don’t get me started on guys who expect me to take it in the arse.”

“What about me?”

She lifted her head up and giggled. “You want to fuck me in the arse?”

“No, I’m merely asking if you would want it though. It would be your decision.”

“Oh… Then god yes, Shepard. Trust me on this, we can do whatever you want together.”

I gave her a squeeze. “I’ll be honest, it’s generally overrated.” Running a hand down her back, I did give one of her cheeks a gentle squeeze. “Though being deep in your arse, Emily… That’s an exciting thought.”

She leaned up to give me soft kiss. “Play your cards right, Mister, and you can have it tomorrow night. Long as you’re gentle with me.”

I shook my head. “Emily, trust me on this, I don’t need it. Want it? Yeah, sometimes, but tomorrow night is our last night together for a while. We’re only doing one thing.”“And what’s that?”

I caressed her cheek before leaning towards her ear. “Making love, that’s what.”

Leaning back against the pillow, the smile on her face… Again, there was a flutter of the heart. She slid off my body, grabbed my hand, and led me to her shower, where all we did was wash each other down with a lot of making out. She definitely loved running her hands all over my body, so different to her soft, lithe body. After drying off, we headed back to bed, lying on my back with Emily curled up into me, feeling her hand run up and down my chest, mine running down her side, trying not to tickle her.

“You getting feelings, Shepard?”

It was a question I was expecting. “You’re the second one, Emily.”

“Ah, the woman on Noveria. Gianna?”

I nodded. “Really liked her. Really like you.” I met her eyes. “But I can’t…” I trailed off and sighed, feeling slightly pathetic.

She just kissed my cheek. “I’m glad you told me about her.”

“About who?”

“Annie. I feel like I know her from how you talked about her. You must have really loved her.”

“Only told her those three words once. I’ve lived with that regret every day since.” I cleared my throat. “I don’t compare anyone I’m with now to her or anything. It’s not like that. It’s just… With everything going on, though I could perhaps pursue romance, it just isn’t feasible. I’m off around the galaxy most of the time. Dating within Alliance ranks is against the rules, and since I’m still technically Alliance even though I’m a Spectre, I think it’s best I keep that distance. Dating civilians is… can be tricky. Read and heard too many horror stories there. I’m not wanting a different girl in every port or anything like that, but we’re living in today’s society. People are more accepting of certain things. So, the question is Emily, can you put up with it?”

“If it means more nights like this with you, Shepard, sign me up.” She grabbed my chin so I met her eyes. “Long as I’m your only girl on the Citadel!”

“Well, haven’t been to see Sha’ira lately. But, okay, I can agree to that. When I’m on the Citadel, I’ll make sure I see you.”

That earned me a kiss before she suggested sleep, as she did have to work in the morning. Still, she seemed to put her alarm on earlier as she woke up the next morning with one single intent, and that was to straddle my crotch, slide my cock into her, and ride herself to orgasm before she popped into the shower. “You know, a man can feel used after something like that!” I called out as she walked into the bathroom.

Sticking her head around doorframe, she simply asked, “Coming to join me or what?” Emily Wong got fucked in the shower two minutes later, pressed up against the glass as I pounded her. “Just what I wanted,” she moaned as I leaned down, kissing her neck though she’d asked me not to leave a mark.

I was still in just a towel as she dressed for work, standing at the bar as she enjoyed some coffee and toast, before I walked her to the door. We kissed again, her hand sliding under my towel. “Damn work sometimes,” she whispered, resting her head against my chest.

“I’ll be here when you get home.”

“Meet me at a bar near my office. I’ll send you the details later. We’ll have dinner out again before coming back here.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

I kept myself amused during the day, receiving a call from Ashley and Tali. If I didn’t know them any better, I would have said they were completely loved up with each other. They didn’t go into any great detail of what they’d been up to, just thankful again for the fact I’d organised so much for them. Knowing I didn’t want to get involved with them physically, they did ask if I at least wanted to meet for lunch. That sounded fine to me, so we agreed a place and time.

I arrived first, and was amused when the pair walked into the restaurant hand in hand. Taking a seat opposite, I could see from their body language that they were now rather close, leaning into each other, whispering things to each other, and Tali’s left arm certainly spent a lot of time under the table, though I don’t think doing anything except resting on Ashley’s leg.

“Sure we can’t convince you to join us tonight, Shepard? You could bring Emily if you wanted,” Ashley asked once lunch was finished.

“Though part of me likes the idea, tonight is just about Emily and I.”

“Really like her, do you?” I couldn’t help smile and nod. “More than Gianna?”

“The same. Exactly the same. Sometimes you just connect with someone. Looks like I’m lucky to have experienced that twice.”

“Three times,” Tali interjected, “Because I have no doubt Shiala feels the same way about you too.”

“Hmmm. When you look at it like that…”

“We like you a lot too, Shepard,” Ashley said softly, “But we also understand the space you put between us and yourself. It took me a while to understand, and I helped explain it to Tali. I still think Liara doesn’t quite understand either. Might need to sit down with her back on the ship.”

“Offer is always open though,” Tali added, “You’ll like what’s under the suit.”

“Definitely,” Ashley said in such a tone, I couldn’t help smirk.

“Approve do you, Ashley?”

“Are you kidding? I would send you photo’s, but I think you should see Tali in the flesh, not in a photo.”

We enjoyed a final drink before I left the pair of them to it, watching them walk hand in hand back to the hotel. I had a feeling they were going to have a lot more fun that evening. Good for them. I headed in the direction of Emily’s office, eventually finding a pub nearby, ordering a pint and watching one of the screens. Little news about the potential crisis on the horizon. I had a feeling a lot of it was being kept secret.

Emily wandered in after I’d had a couple of drinks, joining me at the bar and we had one together before heading off to eat. It wasn’t fine dining in the slightest, more interested in each other than the food, heading out afterwards into the heart of the Wards, where she suggested we head to somewhere that played music. I think she wanted to dance, warning her that I wasn’t particularly good. “Shepard, all you need do is sway and hold me tight to your body,” she breathed into my ear, “And all I want to feel is your body react to mine.”

She got what she wanted within a few minutes of hitting the dance floor, as the way she moved against my body, there was only ever going to be one reaction. That’s when I thought I’d have fun, her back against mine as she basically grinded her arse against my crotch, so I slid my hand down her front and eventually started to fondle her. She turned her head back to kiss me. “Keep going,” she said.

“You sure?”

“Make me cum right here, right now.”

Honestly, it was probably one of the hottest things I’d ever done in my life. And I made Ms. Wong cum hard on the dance floor. Once she’d enjoyed her orgasm, and I had no doubt some around us knew what was going on, she grabbed my hand and dragged me out and towards the nearest taxi rank. Thankfully they were driverless, as she had my fly undone and cock out before I’d even closed the door, leaning over to swallow my length. I swear she was trying to make me cum before we arrived at her place.

Let’s just say she won…

Heading upstairs, we didn’t even make it to her bedroom, bending her over the arm of her couch and I just fucked her hard. It was hot, sweaty, passionate, incredible fucking, eventually flipping her onto her back so I could at least kiss her as I pounded her.

It wasn’t particularly comfortable though, so while still inside her, I managed to pick her up, undress at the same time, before we ended up on her bed, where things did settle down a little bit, though she still wanted it hard and fast until we both enjoyed what was almost a mutual orgasm, first time we’d managed that.

Lying together, breathing deeply, we shared a glance and started to laugh. “I can’t believe we did that in the club,” she whispered, giggling away, “I hope no-one recorded that.”

“Hey, you were getting fondled by Commander Shepard. I think that’s a worthy news item.”

Most of it was out of our system by then. We needed a shower, and after that, we simply lay together and talked. Despite sharing so much about myself, and learning plenty about her, we always found something to discuss, but even the silences were comfortable, just enjoying the feeling of her body against mine. Slept like a log that night.

Knowing I would be leaving that day, we made love for the final time that morning, her arms and legs wrapped around mine, our lips barely parting and I think the only reason she didn’t share any deeper feelings with me is that she probably thought it would scare me off. It was a great way to start the day, though once we’d showered and dressed, I could see she was growing upset, though not distant.

I stayed with her all the way to her office, now resplendent in my Alliance uniform, noticing one or two glances from her colleagues as they wandered into the building. No doubt they all recognised me and wondered what I was doing with Emily. I’m sure tongues were set wagging when we shared a last kiss, and Emily definitely did not want to let me go, holding her head to my chest as I think she was doing all she could to not start crying. “See you soon?” she asked hopefully.

“Next time I’m on the Citadel.”

“I’m going to hold you to that, Shepard. If I find out you’re on here and you’re not in my bed, I will come looking for you!”

That made us both laugh, so at least we could smile, sharing a last kiss, before she finally let me go and walked into the building, turning to smile one final time. I waved before turning and heading to where I needed to be.

Anderson was waiting by the _Normandy_, most of the crew already on board and simply waiting for me to arrive. “Word from Admiral Hackett, Shepard. Something you might want to look into considering your run ins with the geth.”

“What’s the word?”

“Geth presence in the Armstrong Nebula. Initial indications consider this a prelude to full scale invasion.”

“Seriously?”

“Whether it’s serious or not, it’s definitely a concern. Us with the Council could no doubt fight them off, but we’ll be hit first and on the front lines, and considering the Council consider the Traverse to not be their problem, we’ll be on our own until the geth hit Council space.”

“Any idea of their numbers? Or at least base of operations?”

“No idea about numbers, but sensors indicate they have established a primary outpost on one planet in four systems. I’ll be honest, Shepard. This assignment will be a real test of your abilities, and putting it honestly, an absolute pain in the arse. But we simply can’t send a fleet in to deal with the problem.”

“We’ve had enough dealings with geth. I’m sure we can handle it, sir.”

“I’m sure you will but be careful. While you’re doing that, we will hopefully send word regarding where Saren is located. We’re coming the galaxy for him. There are one or two leads, nothing concrete as yet, but as soon as we locate the bastard, you’ll be given that information.”

Swapping salutes, he seemed happier with life at least, which was a good thing. No doubt being stripped of the ship he’d most wanted to command still rankled, but he still sent me messages often, letting me know the inside gossip of both the Council and the Alliance. Once Saren was dealt with, I was tempted to relinquish command of the _Normandy_ simply so he could have his ship back. I don’t know if I could return to being an XO though. Having now tasted command, I knew I’d want my very own vessel in my role as a Spectre.

I was the last to board the _Normandy_, heading straight to the galaxy map and inputting in the data required. Joker didn’t raise any questions, simply stating he had a flight path ready and the time it would take to get there. It would be a long journey and I would have to explain to the team what we were doing. Tali would definitely be interested in our operations, so I’d have a sit down with her and see what she could tell me about geth intentions. No doubt it was their alliance with Saren that was leading to this attempt at invasion.

* * *

Tali loved the idea of going on the front foot against the geth. Three hundred years since her people had been exiled, and unable to really go to battle against them, allying with Shepard had been the best decision she’d made in her short life. They’d already fought the geth a couple of times, and she’d let her shotgun sing each time.

In the back of her mind each time they fought geth was the fact she was still on her Pilgrimage. And the one thing her people needed above all was an advantage against them. Any sort of advantage that could possibly lead to a return to the homeworld would be such a great gift, well, she didn’t know how her people would reward her.

Did she want the geth wiped out? Part of her would admit she did. Every quarian detested the geth. No tears would be shed if the quarians had to wipe them out to take back the homeworld, considering what the geth had done to them before their exodus. Neither side was willing to negotiate. A state of war still existed between the two sides, only the Council prevented the quarians from approaching one of the other species in regards to a possible reliance to take battle to the geth and end it, once and for all.

The only other thing on her mind was her burgeoning relationship with, of all people, Ashley. She’d never given being with a woman any real thought, simply because she never believed being with either a man or woman in such a way would be possible. Even back on the Fleet, the only time a quarian removed their suit, other than to wash and decontaminate, was for procreation. Yes, quarians fell in love, married and had children, but it was a rather clinical process.

Those three days with Ashley had allowed her to explore her sexuality, Ashley doing the same, considering neither had been with a woman before. Once out her suit, Ashley immediately called her beautiful, and that first kiss was memorable. She thought she would be awkward but, as soon as their lips met, it had felt natural, and the next thing she learned was that her skin was incredibly sensitive.

Apart from heading out for breakfast or to meet with Shepard, they spent most of their time naked. Tali loved being out of the suit, and the longer time passed, the more Ashley definitely liked it. Even now, back on the _Normandy_, she found her mind wandering, remembering her mouth on her breasts, kissing down her body, then doing what she did to her pussy. Tali had experienced orgasms before but they were entirely different when a woman was using her tongue and or fingers. But it was when she made Ashley orgasm in return that made her feel exuberant.

Tali didn’t know if she was falling in love, but that last night before returning to the _Normandy_, the look in Ashley’s eyes as they made love a final time…

“You with us, Tali?” she heard Adams ask.

“Huh?”

“I’ve told you twice that Shepard’s been asking after you. I don’t think you’ve heard a word.”

She felt herself blush behind the mask. “Oh, sorry. I was… um…”

“Enjoy yourself on the Citadel?”

“W-w-what?"

Adams walked over and leaned in. “Nothing to be embarrassed about, Tali. But your body language is obvious. Good for you.”

“Huh?”

Adams chuckled away. “Please, Tali. Give me at least a little credit. I’ve seen the way you look at her. And I’ve seen the way she smiles at you. You love her?” Tali didn’t know how to respond, instead making do with a silent shrug. “Well, I think it’s obvious you really like each other at least. Hold onto that, Tali. Life is hard as it is, harder when serving in the Alliance. And I can only assume life is difficult for a quarian.”

“It can be.”

Adams nodded. “Anyway, as I said, Shepard was calling for you earlier. Better head out.”

“Thanks, Adams.”

“For the last time, Tali,” he replied with a smile, “Only Shepard is known by his last name. Call me Greg.”

“Of course, Adams. I’ll do that eventually.”

He met her eyes behind the mask and simply burst into laughter as she wandered out, giggling herself. He’d been nothing but friendly since the day she’d walked onto the _Normandy_ and loved the rapport they’d established. She’d always felt respected, her opinion on any engineering matters listened to. More than once, he’d taken hers over anyone else’s and was certainly pleased to be proven correct more often than not.

Shepard had the team by the Mako, obviously waiting for her arrival. She apologised for being late, though he waved it away, before explaining. “So we’ve hit three of their outposts and we’ve done well so far. Caught them with their pants down, figuratively speaking, the first two times, but they were waiting for us on Antibaar. The fourth and last planet is Rayingri. There used to be a research outpost here, but that went silent a couple of months back. No doubt everyone is dead and the geth have turned it over into doing whatever the fuck it is they do. As usual, everyone is on the ground for this one. Hopefully by taking out this base, we stop the geth in their tracks, and with any luck, we’ll have word from the Alliance in regards to where Saren is, so we can deal with that prick, once and for all.”

The geth knew they were coming. Just the _Normandy_ flying in low to drop the Mako gained enough attention that missiles were fired, the vessel dropping the Mako from a higher distance than normal, surprised it didn’t just turn into a flaming pile of metal upon crashing into the ground. Joker apologised over the radio, sounding rather stressed. Shepard told him not to worry.

Geth numbers were beyond what they’d seen before. Within a few minutes, Shepard was ordering everyone except Garrus and herself out of the Mako to provide ground support. Shepard did what he could to stop the Mako taking hits, but as the Mako was the largest thing on the battlefield, it was simply a magnet for the rockets and missiles being fired. She was soon reporting that shields were failing and there was little she could do to re-route power to them.

“Fuck it, we’ll just have to abandon it for now,” Shepard finally said, “I’ll find something I can at least hide it behind then we’ll join the others.” He paused as he opened the comm. “Alenko, it’s Shepard. Garrus, Tali and I will be joining you on foot. The Mako is fucked.”

_“We hear you, Commander. We are spread across a line to your right. Trying to join fire but the geth are focused on your for now.”_

“We’ll abandon in thirty seconds and join your line.”

Once let off the leash, she joined in with Alenko, tech attacks soon raining down on the geth lines. They’d spent a lot of time going over how they could more effectively cause chaos within the geth. Not only could they do things like overloading shields, overheating weapons, and just being general nuisances, but they’d even found ways where she could practically shut down geth. Not completely, they were at least smart enough to prevent that, but enough that one of their colleagues could kill them.

With Shepard now leading the line, he was a battering ram, forcing his way forward, the rest now standing out of cover with confidence. She was amazed how fearless he would move forward, drawing fire away from the rest of them, providing targets for them to attack. More than once Shepard wold slide into cover, banging his shield pack due to the fact they’d failed, swearing away to himself before his shield recharged, he checked his weapon, and moved onward. Tali just thought he was completely mad, but she also recognised that he looked at home on the battlefield.

The geth wilted in front of them, leaving plenty of dead units in their wake. Once they made it into the underground facility, the geth were rats in a trap and they stood no chance against Shepard and his team. In such close confines, Tali relied on her trusty shotgun, blasting away any geth that got within her sights. In cover as they battle the last geth that were dug in, she felt a presence beside her. “Watching you like this is a real turn on.” She glanced to see Ashley wink at her from behind her helmet.

“Shame we don’t have a clean room on the Normandy, Ash. A good fuck after battle would be quite nice.”

“God, Tali… We need a clean room on the Normandy!”

That made her giggle before she leapt out of cover, blasting away a geth that thought it could sneak up on them. Ashley joined in alongside, her assault rifle wiping out two more what she called ‘flashlight-headed fuckwits.’ It was the sort of language Shepard definitely approved of, considering his language was rather colourful in the heat of battle.

The research facility was clear but they were left confused as it was obvious this wasn’t their main base either. Shepard called her and Alenko forward, asking if there should be some sort of enormous data bank or at least something that could provide an idea of what the geth were up to. Alenko shrugged while Tali remained quiet, deep in thought. “We’ll have to search to see if there is still a signal back on the Normandy, Shepard,” she suggested.

“Damn it, I was hoping this was it,” he muttered, “Fine, we’ll have the Normandy pick us up then go from there.”

Back on the _Normandy _a couple of hours later, it didn’t take much searching to realise there was a stronger geth signal. It was in another system, Shepard stating they would keep tracking it, but they would only head groundside the next day at the earliest. After sharing a meal with her colleagues, she was ready to just head to bed when Ashley grabbed her by the hand and led her to the bathroom. Leading her into a stall, she found herself backed against the closed door, Ashley’s hand between her legs. “Ashley,” she breathed.

“I know I can’t kiss you right now but I need to touch you…”

Tali could only nod, needing her touch. During their time on the Citadel, they’d looked at ways of being able to be intimate without needing to be completely without a suit. It took some experimentation, but considering her suit was all compartmentalised, she could remove the lower portion of her suit for intimacy. If only she’d learned that long ago…

Feeling the cool air of the ship on her pussy caused her to shudder, and when Ashley’s fingers toucher her, she nearly yelped. Instead, her hands went to the belt and trousers of Ashley, and once she soon had her two fingers fondling her in return.

“God, I need to kiss you so bad,” Ashley murmured.

“I know the feeling, but if we can make each other cum…”

“Then I’ll want to kiss you even more, Tali.”

She gasped as she felt two of her fingers slide inside her, and she gave up pleasuring Ashley for now, particularly when she got down on her knees to start pleasing her. “Ashley,” she breathed, running a hand through her hair.

“I need you to cum, Tali,” Ashley breathed before returning her mouth to her pussy.

“Oh keelah…” Waves of pleasure rippled through her body as Ashely used her tongue expertly, getting her hot, bothered and completely turned on. “Ashley…”

When she felt her tongue move to her clit, and a couple of fingers slide inside to find her spot, she knew this was a hard, fast fuck. She grabbed the back of Ashley’s head, holding her in place, feeling her entire body shudder, her legs starting to feel weak, as waves of pleasure flowed from her toes to her fingers. “Oh keelah… Ashley…”

“Cum for me, Tali,” Ashley whispered, looking down into her eyes.

Tali tried to stifle her moans and cries as Ashley made her cum. The look of satisfaction in her human lover’s face would have been amusing if Tali hadn’t been so desperate in wanting to kiss her that she could only groan in frustration. Instead, all she could do was get down on her knees and hug her tightly. “I love you,” she whispered, only gasping when she realised what she’d said.

“And I love you,” Ashley whispered in return, hearing the catch in her throat. Tali couldn’t control her emotions any longer, feeling the tears start to flow, her body shake as she needed to have a little cry. All Ashley did was hug her tightly. “How could I not after everything we’ve shared?”

“I need to find a way to be out of this suit as often as possible. Not just for the sex, but just so we can be… So I can kiss you whenever I want. So I can feel your hands on my body.” She leaned back to look into her eyes. “All I know is that, when I’m here with you like this, no-one else matters.”

The smile Ashley returned was shy. “I know who you mean, and I feel the same way.” She rested a hand against her mask, Tali only wishing that she could feel it against her face. “All I know is that I’m in love with the most beautiful woman in the galaxy.”

Tali could only hug her tightly again. “Keep this up, Ashley…”

Shepard definitely knew what they’d been up to the next morning, though he said nothing to begin with. Only when the mess emptied did he sit with them at their table. “So it’s serious, is it?”

They could only share a glance before Ashley asked, “How the hell do you know?”

“I just know, okay. And, trust me, I’m happy for you both. Surprised, but happy for you. And, now that you know how you feel, you’ll definitely find a way to make it work.”

“Thanks, Shepard,” Tali stated, leaning over to give him a hug.

“We both still want to fuck you though, Shepard,” Ashley added, Tali nodding along once she let him go. “Just thought you should know.”

He leaned forward. “And those feelings are still returned, Ashley. I am finding it very difficult turning you down constantly.”

Tali grabbed his hand. “Then just be with us,” she said softly. She usually left it to Ashley to say what they both wanted. “I love Ashley, Shepard.” He noticed his eyes briefly move to Ashley before returning to her. “But I really like you too, and I’m speaking for us both when I say we both want to be with you. If I were to add desperately, I’m not sure if that sound good or bad.”

“Trust me on this, Shepard, you have a guaranteed threesome with Tali and I. Just think of this, lying down on the bed with one of us on your cock, the other on your face. Tali and I will just have to agree who gets your cock first…”

Shepard leaned back, running a hand down his face. “You’re making this very difficult, girls.” He remained silent before leaning forward again. “Let’s see how the next mission goes. After that… We’ll see…” He paused again. “Should have just joined you on the Citadel,” he muttered.

“You were with Emily, Shepard. We understood,” Tali said quietly, “But maybe it’s time to stop denying what you want, just like I did. I thought being intimate like I was would kill me. But with the right steps, it was the best experience of my life. When Ashley made me orgasm the first time, I cried like… Well, I cried more than I’d done before.” She grabbed his hand. “I know when I’m with you the first time, and you do things to make me feel just like her, I’m sure I’ll sob like anything again.”

She noticed the smile just appeared on his face, squeezing her hand. “Okay, Tali. As I said, we’ll see what happens. Let’s focus on the geth first, get rid of them, then we’ll focus on other things.”

The major geth base was found on a planet by the name of Solcrum. They knew that Shepard and his crew was coming as they’d dug in. So entrenched they were, Shepard ordered the _Normandy_ to perform a bombing run, something he rarely did. Tali wasn’t sure of the situation on the ground when they boarded the Mako ready to drop, but she hoped the bastards had burned.

Approaching their base, there were flames and plenty of destruction but the geth were still up for a fight. Shepard immediately ordered the Mako abandoned, choosing to go in on foot, issuing instructions as they closed the gap. Biotics would do their thing. Tali and Alenko would do their thing. The rest would just fuck shit up. “And Wrex, this time, you are off the leash, my friend. Get that blood rage going. We’ll get you calmed down in time.”

Her shotgun was singing again soon enough, though she remained thankful her shields were as strong as ever, as she took some heavy fire supporting Shepard and his fellow soldiers. The fire coming in front geth positions boggled the mind, but she realised this was their last stand. No doubt the geth were aware their other bases had been wiped out. Take out this base and the geth would have no choice but to piss off back behind the Veil. At least she could claim as least some part of the victory.

Making it to the entrance, geth units littering the ground behind them, Shepard gathered them together. “Same rules as always. But there must be information somewhere below us that we could use. So Tali and Alenko, any workstation or database we find, hack the shit out of it and grab whatever you can.” She could only giggle at how he ordered them but she still replied that wouldn’t be a problem.

The geth had pulled back for what seemed like a last stand. To say they slaughtered them wouldn’t be an understatement. She released three hundred years of hate and rage. Shepard had hated geth since Eden Prime, taking joy in practically dismantling each geth unit he found. Even those without any real feelings one way or the other seemed to enjoy it, Wrex grabbing the occasional unit and smashing it into the ground, to the amusement of whoever saw it.

As they cleared each room, she got to work alongside Alenko, downloading anything they could find, sending it straight back to the _Normandy_ for analysis later. She took the occasional peek at the streams of data, but even she was overwhelmed by the sheer volume. She was certain the geth had planned an enormous invasion, though it did seem that it was still in the planning stages. Good thing Shepard had been sent to stop them in their tracks.

A final room and there were few geth let, noticing they seemed to take cover by one particular databank. It was easy to figure out why. Ashley, Garrus and Shepard worked methodically with their sniper rifles, making sure there was no damage to the databank behind them. Once all the geth were dead, she got to work again, and it was only then that the room was filled with… singing. She came to a stop and listened. It wasn’t long until her body was being wracked by sobs.

Feeling an arm around her waist, Ashley asked, “Who is it?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered, “But she’s singing of Rannoch.”

“Rannoch?”

She nodded. “Our homeworld.”

The song was hauntingly beautiful, glancing to see everyone listening in silence. They wouldn’t have understood the words but the depth in meaning in the vocals was clear. She managed to get back to work, saving as much data as she could by the time the song finished. Once it did, the geth had made sure the data was immediately erased.

“That was beautiful,” Shepard stated.

“Keelah se’lai,” she whispered, “By the homeworld I hope to see one day.”

The team returned to the _Normandy_, everyone exhausted after the long battle against the geth. They gathered together for dinner as always, the conversation somewhat muted. It sometimes was after a long day in the field, everyone eating simply due to hunger before everyone would disappear to bed for the evening.

She popped down to engineering for a few minutes when Shepard asked her to come to his quarters over the comm. Heading upstairs, she walked in to see Shepard at his desk, Ashley sitting beside him, a large smile on her face. She sat day opposite them both, Shepard looking rather serious.

“Tali’Zorah nar Rayya, you are currently on your Pilgrimage, correct?”

“Yes, Shepard. You know that.”

“And the purpose of your Pilgrimage is in regards to the assistance of your people. You are to find something out in the galaxy that will help your people.”

“Yes, Shepard,” she replied carefully.

“Three hundred years ago, the geth drove your people from your homeworld. Since that day, you’ve been looking for any advantage that might just allow you to return. Would that be correct?” She could only nod. “I have already discussed this with Chief Williams alongside me, and it’s why she’s sitting here with me now. Your assistance during our battle against Saren and his geth has been invaluable. It was your evidence that saw me promoted to Spectre, and in our battles against the geth since, you’ve certainly shown your courage and intelligence. Chief Engineer Adams speaks in glowing terms of your service. Chief Williams has confessed her feelings for you are incredibly strong.” She could only look at Ashley, feeling tears run down her cheeks. Ashley usually kept her emotions in check while on the ship, but she needed to wipe her cheeks as Shepard spoke. He stood up before taking a knee in front of her chair, reaching into his coat pocket, showing her an OSD. “On this is all the information we took in regards to the geth, Tali. I’m not sure what a lot of it is, I simply don’t understand the geth like you do. But what I do know is that this will be a magnificent Pilgrimage gift. Please, take it with my blessing, and I hope it helps your people in the future.”

Her hand was shaking as she carefully took the OSD, placing it into a pocket on her suit. Then she burst into tears and hugged Shepard, feeling him hug her tightly back. “I can never thank you enough,” she managed to choke out.

“You’ve been by my side since the day we met, Tali. That is thanks enough.”

She rested her head on his shoulder until the sobs subsided, leaning back to meet his eyes. “Then all I can do is promise to remain by your side until the end, Shepard.”

That earned one of those smiles she liked to see on his face. “Good. Because Anderson has sent me a message. They’ve found where Saren is. Right now, I have Joker flying us to a planet by the name of Virmire. It is there that I hope we catch the bastard and finally put an end to the madness.”

“I’m with you all the way, Shepard. Let’s get the bastard!”


	15. Book 1, Chapter 15 - Sacrifice and Grief

“The target planet is Virmire. You may have heard of it, though perhaps not. The Alliance was, at one time, seriously considering this as a planet worthy of colonisation, equivalent to an Eden Prime or an Elysium. Unfortunately, it is located in just the wrong position, as it would take an incredible defensive network to be set up to ensure its safety, and it’s just something the Alliance are currently not willing to invest in. The Alliance has even approached the Council, willing to lead efforts, but instability along the frontier, quite frankly, scares them off.

Now to why we are actually here. There is a Salarian Task Group (STG) on the planet. They had been tracking anything to do with Saren and his ship and eventually located him on the planet. They have since started their investigation and confirm Saren has a base of operations on the planet and his ship has also been sighted. At the moment, we only have a vague location of where the STG team is, though it is understood they are still alive, or were when the transmission was made.

There are two objectives to this mission. The first is to link up with the STG and learn what they have discovered. The second, and arguably more important, is to find Saren and finally end whatever it is he has planned in that head of his. We will drop in by Mako as always. Anticipate serious resistance from the geth. If this is Saren’s central base, there will be fortifications and…”

“_Commander, we’ve got a problem.”_

“What is it, Joker?”

_“Saren’s base, Commander. It is surrounded by enormous defensive cannons. There is no way I could drop you anywhere close to the base or where the STG team could be dug in. I’m going to have to drop you some distance and you’ll have to make your way forward by Mako or on foot.”_

“How close can you get us?”

_“Without drawing the attention of their cannon? You’re looking at a few clicks, Commander.”_

“Get us close as you can, Joker. We’ll do the rest.”

_“Aye, Commander. I’ll have you on the ground in five minutes.”_

Shepard turned to his team. “You heard the man. Suit up, pack your shit, and get on board.”

Wrex didn’t really need to suit up nor pack his shit. He was already wearing armour and never walked anywhere without at least one weapon, even when on the _Normandy_. He watched as others put armour on, checked weapons, or filled small packs with supplies in the event they were planet-side longer than expected. He could also see the relationships formed. Ashley and Tali were obvious in their affection. Liara and Shiala had found a common bond. Benezia, though not invited to join them on the ground, hovered close by. Others cut solitary figures. Shepard, as Commander, still kept his distance, though would lead from the front once on the ground. Garrus was a born soldier but awkward as fuck around anyone else. Alenko seemed rather lonely, and even Wrex would admit he missed some of the comradery the pair had shared when they’d fucked. He didn’t regret the decision to stop their physical relationship, knowing the price would be any friendship they had built beforehand. It always does once you involve sex.

Loading himself last into the back of the Mako as normal, he heard Shepard start the engine, rolling it to the edge, hearing Joker call over the radio the marks to get ready for descent. He was as used to these air drops as everyone else, but considering his size and breadth, he still hadn’t figured out how to position his body to stop his head smacking into the roof.

It happened again when they landed on Virmire. Before Shepard even started, he called out, “Who wants out?”

Everyone piled out except Tali and Ashley, no surprise the latter remained, taking over the gun from Garrus, who didn’t mind getting out into the fresh air for once. Alenko took control on the ground as always, though he generally let everyone do what they do best. Liara and Shiala biotics, Garrus was just like Ashley, deadly with assault or sniper rifle, Alenko would mix up his technical and biotic abilities, while Wrex would just run rampage through enemy lines. He’d be left bleeding and sore at the end of the day, but krogan could sustain much more damage than anyone else.

Shepard kept the Mako at a constant speed that only required them to lightly jog. Given they only carried weapons and wore armour, it wasn’t as gruelling as it could have been. The weather was mild, little humidity, even a light breeze at times. Even Wrex thought it was rather idyllic, at least until they ran into geth drones, that rained rockets down on them. Ashley had the Mako’s machine gun singing quickly enough. Those on the ground found cover where they could and did their best to assist.

The intelligence had been right about one thing. The geth were there in force. In fact, there were probably more geth just on Virmire than on all the planets they’d fought geth out in the Armstrong Nebula. If that didn’t prove this was Saren’s most important base, he wasn’t sure what else the turian had up his sleeve.

He quickly lost count of how many geth he put on the ground. He had an assault rifle for distance, shotgun for when they were up close, and his fists if they were within striking range. He could even use his biotics if tempted, but he left most of that stuff to the two asari and Alenko. The trio could mix up their attacks, causing at least some confusion in geth lines, leaving them as easy pickings for the rest of them.

The geth had set up what appeared to be a serious of gatehouses. Wrex had no idea why they’d do it, but that is where the geth well and truly dug in. The big krogan took it upon himself to clear the first one, charging up the ramp, using his shotgun to blast away anything that came within range. One or two geth found themselves hurled over the barricade to the ground below. Once it was all clear, he found the lever to open the gate, strolling back, grumbling about the sheer stupidity of it all.

With each metre they covered, the geth threw more in their faces. Rocket troopers were now a major part of their defences, and it was only quick thinking that kept them all in one piece. The machine gun of the Mako was incessant, Ashley only backing off when it was clearly overheating. Shepard was trying to do about three things at once. Beat the geth. Protect those outside the Mako. And ensure the vehicle wasn’t blown up at the same time. Hard work, and he imagined Shepard inside, covered in sweat, muscles all tense as he tried to make the lumbering machine do what he wanted.

So that’s what he told Alenko, wondering what sort of reaction it would get. Alenko just looked at him and grinned after he’d biotically thrown a geth a few metres. “Don’t tease, Wrex. It’s not funny.”

“Just wondering if you’ve ever looked at him in a certain way.”

“Of course I have; I won’t deny that. But Shepard certainly isn’t interested in men. That is plain and clear.”

“Not sure he’s interested in women on the Normandy though,” Liara muttered.

“Hey, he’s gone rather cold on me, Liara,” Shiala added.

“Least you got your chance with him. He likes chatting to me, there’s flirting, and I think I’m rather blunt at times about what I like and want, but he doesn’t seem to react in the way I’d really like him to.”

“It’s because you’re under his command,” Alenko said, as the group moved out of cover, following the Mako, “He gave into temptation with you, Shiala, because I believe he didn’t think you’d still be with us. As for anyone else, he’s the commander and I guess believes he needs to keep his distance from his subordinates, whether they are part of the Alliance or not.”

Wrex noticed Liara lean into Shiala. “Guess I’ll just have to keep using sex toys then,” she said with a giggle.

“Oh, do tell, Liara.” She met his eyes and immediately blushed. “Come on, you’re over one hundred years old and, if not sexually active with others, you’ll certainly know what to do by yourself. Okay, how about this. Ever had someone else use a sex toy, something like a dildo, on you?”

Liara tried desperately not to glance at Shiala, but the latter gave it away with the shy grin that appeared on her face. “Damn it, Wrex, I didn’t want anyone to know.”

“Embarrassed?”

“No, it’s just private. Shiala and I are… We’ve done a lot of talking, much of it about Benezia obviously, but as we’ve talked, we grew closer. Now there are reasons why I won’t be particularly intimate with one of my own kind, but… well… we experimented a little bit…”

“I have to say, I am enjoying this conversation,” Garrus joked from behind them.

“Don’t you start, Captain Awkward,” Liara warned.

“What? You too!” The turian sighed. “Damn Shepard and his teasing…”

“Garrus, it’s because you are one fucking awkward turian when it comes to the opposite sex,” Wrex bellowed, chuckling away.

“Though it can be endearing in the right circumstances. Chloe seems to like it,” Alenko added.

“_Can we get back to the two asari pleasuring each other please? Need more details in here.” _Everyone froze at the sound of Shepard’s voice, his laughter soon echoing through. “_Seriously, guys, how the fuck did you forget you were linked in here? Liara, Shiala, I hope you know Ashley and Tali were very interested in your shenanigans. I thought I was on the verge of getting a free show in here.”_

_“Shepard, if we can seal these doors, I’m getting my suit off,”_ Tali exclaimed, Ashley suggesting that sounded like a bloody good idea.

“You can have a free show if you want, Shepard,” Shiala said in such a sultry tone, it even made Wrex do a double take.

_“Noted, Shiala. Now, being serious, while I would love to hear all about Liara and Shiala getting intimate with each other, and I know you’re now looking for a hole in the ground to swallow you, Liara, let’s get out heads back in the game._” There was a brief pause before he added, _“Liara, if you want to send me a video of yourself and Shiala…”_

Shiala leaned into Liara. “You know, it would one hell of a tease. Might just give into temptation.”

Wrex looked back and noticed that, during all the chatter, they’d mowed their way through the geth and at least one of those gatehouses the geth had set up. It was amazing how easily the killing now came to all of them, anticipating the moves of their squad mates without a second guess. Everyone fought with confidence that they’d made the right decision, and apart from the occasional failure of shields, and scuffing of armour, no-one had suffered what he would call a severe wound so far, certainly nothing life threatening. Even if someone was shot, medi-gel would usually do the trick until they could visit Chakwas back on the _Normandy_. Not always, though. Shepard had already spoken of the young soldier they’d lost on Eden Prime. Wrex knew that still rankled with the commander…The Mako came to a halt with the third gatehouse in the distance. _“Garrus, pull out your sniper. You seeing what we’re seeing?_”

The turian moved to side of the Mako, pulling out his sniper rifle, getting into position. He heard the turian mutter to himself before replying. “I count six armatures, Shepard. I repeat, six armatures.”

“_Copy that, Garrus. That’s what I have too. Right, this isn’t going to be easy. Ashley will be focusing solely on those. Ground team, you are mopping up the rest. It’s clear this is their last stand. The STG team must be somewhere beyond.”_

Wrex would admit that the next few minutes of his life were probably the closest he’d really come to death in quite a long time. The Mako simply couldn’t provide the cover, focusing on the armatures as it was, never stopping as Ashley rarely missed her shot, but everyone could see the Mako was taking a pounding. It was a good enough distraction that the rest could focus on the geth troopers, getting in and around the legs of the armatures.

The geth had some rocket troops, Alenko proving to be rather devious, and the geth surprisingly stupid, as they fired rockets at the ground troops taking cover near their armatures. Wrex wasn’t the only on to roar with joy when the back legs of one armature found themselves blown up by a couple of rockets, the team splitting up as the thing then exploded.

“_Do that again!”_ Shepard shouted over the comm, “_We’re getting pounded here.”_

_“Shields at forty percent, Shepard,” _Tali reported, “_I’m re-routing what I can, but unless you want the Mako a sitting duck…”_

The geth weren’t that stupid. What happened once didn’t exactly happen again, but being in and around the armatures was a good enough distraction. Unbeknownst to nearly all of them, Garrus had disappeared and found elevation, and was soon picking off geth troops with ease. Wrex wasn’t the only one to look around for the turian. “Where the hell is he?” Alenko asked, overloading the shields of a nearby geth.

Wrex was in cover behind him, one of the rare instances of using his biotics. “Fucked if I know but he’s doing a damned good job.”

_“Got a tear in my eye hearing you say that, Wrex,”_ Garrus whispered over the comm before there was the sound of another shot. _“Right in the optics! Take that, you geth bastard.”_

“Anyone get the feeling none of us like the geth?” Alenko asked himself.

Wrex answered that with a blast of his shotgun, a couple of geth trying to sneak up to them. Noticing their numbers had wilted, and most of those armed with rocket launchers had disappeared, Wrex took a deep breath and simply charged for the nearby ramp, shotgun singing as more than a trio of geth tried and failed to stop him in his tracks. Arriving at the top, his shields failed within seconds as gunfire turned his way, roaring as he charged towards the gaggle of geth nearby. He felt himself shot at least a couple of times but that didn’t stop him blasting until his weapon overheated, swinging it in his hands so he could use it to club the last remaining geth units. The very last one, he grabbed it by the head and used all his strength to just squeeze it until there was the sound of crushed metal…

Feeling the rage building up, he walked to the nearby wall, put a hand against it and took a few deep breaths. He heard footsteps behind him. “Just give me a minute,” he warned.

“Okay. But… you okay?”

“Just cooling down, Alenko. But thanks, I’ll be fine.”

“You realise you left none for us?”

He chuckled. “That was the point. Get them out of the way so we move on.”

The Mako was still functional, Shepard leading the way. The machine had taken significant damage, left with the feeling it would soon be abandoned, as it would take a mechanic a few days to get it back into working order. The geth had disappeared, assuming that last gatehouse truly was their last stand. Apart from the rumble of the Mako’s engine, the only things we could hear were the crashing of the waves, the occasional bird whistling overhead, or the rustle of the wind through nearby trees. That word again. Idyllic. Enough to make some men or women want to retire.

_“Commander, we’ve got a problem,”_ Joker called in over the radio.

_“Copy, Joker. What’s up?”_

_“I’ve just landed the Normandy but we are grounded for the time being. The salarian in charge can explain everything when you arrive. Name is Captain Kirrahe.”_

_“No worries, Joker. We’ll find out what’s going on.”_

Shepard managed to drive the Mako back onto the _Normandy_ as the rest of the team spread out. Wrex counted out the salarian STG squad, numbering only a dozen or so. He simply scoffed at the pitiful number. To take on Saren and his geth, unless you were Shepard and his crew, you would need an army.

Shepard greeted the salarian commander, and he could already feel the wary glares of the other salarians around him. He just ignored them, keeping to himself as usual, though keeping an ear out for what was being discussed. The more he heard, the less he liked, figuring that someone should just order a fleet in and blow the damn base sky high, and if the Traverse wanted to get angry about it, then blow them up too.

But then the salarian captain mentioned something that grabbed his undivided attention. “We believe Saren is researching a cure for the genophage. That must be destroyed.”

And that just pissed Wrex off, immediately storming towards the salarian captain, sensing the other salarians grow nervous with each stride he took. Shepard seemed to sense he was closing in, stepping to the side as Wrex jabbed a finger into the chest of the salarian. “Over my dead body, salarian. That is a cure for my people you are talking about.”

“Your people don’t deserve a cure, krogan. You people are clearly a mistake.”

Wrex almost saw red straight away. Instead, he puffed himself up so he towered over the salarian, bumping his chest into the salarian. “My people are not a mistake,” he growled, “And you salarians had best remember that going forward.”

He turned and walked away, the urge to kill all the salarians damn near overwhelming, and he figured if he did that, it would piss Shepard off. In fact, he’d earn the ire of the man and would end up fighting him too. And he didn’t want that.

So he walked away, probably for only the second, maybe third time in his way he backed away from an inevitable fight. He made do with standing by the shore, closing his eyes and just relaxing, letting the rage disappear from his veins. He’d already done plenty of killing today, would likely do a lot more killing going forward.

“Yeah, I don’t think Kirrahe knows diplomacy very well,” Shepard stated.

“I don’t like salarians, Shepard. And I don’t like them when they are telling me that a cure for my people has to be destroyed.”

“I understand, Wrex.”

“My people are dying, Shepard. We need this cure so we can once again thrive.”

“While my heart does go out to your people, Wrex, I have just one question. Would you trust Saren to give you a cure more than myself saying you should destroy it?”

That gave Wrex pause for thought. He’d just heard the word ‘cure’ and thought that would be it. “It’s still a cure, Shepard.”

He turned to look at Shepard, who shook his head. “No, it won’t be, Wrex, and deep down, you already know that. Saren isn’t looking for a cure for the genophage, not when he believes Reapers are coming to destroy everything. Why would he waste time doing that?” Wrex saw that point immediately. “No, what Saren wants is the belief there is a cure, so he can get the krogan on his side, and with you and the geth as his personal servants? He may just end up getting what he wants.”

“Do you think he’s doing any sort of cure though?”

Shepard shrugged. “I don’t know, Wrex. It’s possible he’s doing something about the genophage, but the sort of cure you and your people desperately want? No, I wouldn’t trust in Saren like that. He certainly won’t give you the freedom you want. And you do know I’m right.”

“If I let this go, Shepard, I’m putting an awful lot of trust in you.”

Shepard stepped forward and lowered his voice. “Look, we’ve done a lot of talking, right? About your people in general, but the genophage in particular. I’m not sure what Kirrahe is planning, but he’s got a full blown assault on his mind. So while we’re doing that, we take a look at what Saren has been doing. If what we find is compelling enough, we at least take something that’s viable and give it to some eggheads to see what they make of it.”

Wrex turned away from Shepard, walking towards the water’s edge, giving himself time to think. A cure lay possibly so close, but he knew the human was right. Saren was insane, and there was no possible way he’d make a cure to the benefit of his people. They would end up puppets or worse, under the control of a madman.

More than that, Shepard had proven trustworthy. He listened to Wrex about the plight of his people. He’d helped regain his old family armour when he didn’t have to. Wrex simply mentioned it and Shepard had the _Normandy_ heading there within the day. And while Shepard would probably help in getting his people a cure, he would only do so under the right circumstances. He could even see why Shepard agreed with Kirrahe, despite how much it pained to accept it.

He turned and walked back to Shepard, offering his hand, which the human accepted immediately. “I’m trusting you on this, Shepard. But I know that, one day, you will help my people.”

“You’re a good… man, Wrex. And thanks.”

“Yeah, yeah, let’s not get all teary. No doubt that salarian is cooking up something. Guess we’d better listen in and go from there.”

Kirrahe had a plan all right, and even Wrex had to admit the salarian had a massive set of balls with what he was tempted to try. Shepard listened in as the salarian explained, and apart from one or two technical questions, he wasn’t tempted to try and change the plan. “Sure no-one else is coming this way?” Kirrahe did ask.

“I’m sure, Captain. We are it so we’d best make do with what we’ve got.”

The salarian then made another request, asking if he could borrow a couple of his own people. Shepard didn’t seem that bothered, asking who he wanted. The salarian didn’t seem to mind who, so Shepard selected Ashley and Shiala, Ashley providing fire support, Shiala biotic support. Kirrahe approved of the choices, Shepard heading off to explain details to the rest of the squad.

Alenko would be left to deal with the nuclear bomb.

* * *

I was surprised Kirrahe asked for any help from my squad but I guess with the plan he had, he needed some firepower to knock down the front door. Ashley was the most obvious choice considering she would provide excellent fire support. I had thought about Liara, but I figured Shiala had proven her power as a biotic so she was another good choice.

That left everyone else with me. If anyone was nervous, they didn’t show it. In fact, everyone was revved up, ready to go. Most of them had marched from the moment we’d dropped to now, but if they were tired, no-one was complaining. Tali and I had at least had the Mako, not that it was comfortable, but now we’d all be moving on foot.

Walking towards Kirrahe, I let him know we were ready go whenever he was. We then got to witness him provide a rather stirring speech, one that certainly got most of my team ready for action at the same time.

“You all know the mission and what is at stake. I have come to trust each of you with my life, but I have also heard murmurs of discontent. I share your concerns.

We are trained for espionage. We would be legends, but the records are sealed. Glory in battle is not our way.” Wrex snorted at that but remained silent after I gave him the eye.

“Think of our heroes: the Silent Step, who defeated a nation with a single shot. Or the Ever Alert, who kept armies at bay with hidden facts.

These giants do not seem to give us solace here, but they are not all that we are. Before the network, there was the fleet. Before diplomacy, there were soldiers.

Our influence stopped the rachni, but before that, we held the line. Our influence stopped the krogan, but before that, we held the line!

Our influence will stop Saren! In the battle today, we will hold the line!”

The soldiers came to attention and saluted Kirrahe, who returned the gesture before looking at us. I stepped forward, shook his hand. “Good luck, Commander.”

“You too, Captain. Don’t do anything too rash.”

As Kirrahe disappeared with his own team, plus two of mine, I gave my own squad a pep talk. A lot shorter than Kirrahe and a lot blunter. Don’t get dead. If you get a shot at Saren, kill the bastard. Other than that, anyone found in the base that wasn’t part of our team was fair game. As for Alenko, he promised that the bomb would be ready to go when ordered.

“Think it will work?” Garrus asked as we began the long walk.

“No idea. Any sort of diversion is a good one. The more geth that head off to fight them, the better for us.”

Though we were taking the back way, geth drones still patrolled, making short work of them. Figuring we could probably help Kirrahe at the same time, we made sure to disable anything that would help their own progress, such as communications, satellite uplinks, considering what the geth were, and any alarm systems we happened to find. Liara and Tali were tasked with that. They didn’t have to tell me what they were doing, I trusted them to simply do it.

Handling the drones with relative ease, it was obvious that they knew we were coming once again, the team spreading out and taking cover as the geth moved forward. Not wanting to get pinned out, we fired and moved like always, anyone moving being covered by the rest. It was always completely bonkers, with bullets and rockets flying in from the geth, left wishing we carried our own heavy weapons. Well, we had one in Wrex, but he was a bit different…

Everyone was using their abilities, Garrus and Tali with all their technological know-how, aware that Garrus had been a surprising but keen study with the little quarian, and he was fast becoming a master at disabling geth. Liara shimmered constantly in blue. When we’d first recruited her, using her biotics constantly left her drained. Now she could fight all day and simply work up a sweat. No problems otherwise. As for Wrex, he seemed to just enjoy himself as usual.

“Approaching the base,” I reported into Kirrahe.

_“Copy that, Shepard. We continue on. Heavy resistance. Chief Williams and Shiala proving most helpful.”_

Running into krogan wasn’t a particular surprise knowing what Saren was up to. As soon as they saw us, they charged. Liara used her biotics on one of them, Wrex charged at the other. After taking down the first, we helped Wrex with the second. He complained but I said there wasn’t time to dilly-dally. He didn’t quite understand the expression, so I gestured we should move out quickly. Then he understood.

More geth lay in wait, and we destroyed some geth flyers on the way, recognising they could be used as air support to either stop us or Kirrahe. We were left rather surprised that the geth and krogan seemed to work together at times. I joked that maybe they’d been programmed that way. Liara suggested a form of indoctrination of both of them, considering what Benezia had told us.

“Why didn’t you bring her?” Liara did wonder over all the gunfire, taking cover next to me.

“Though I trust her enough back on the ship, I didn’t want to see her slipping under his influence again.”

“She’s a powerful biotic. She would prove useful.”

“I understand that, Liara. But it’s one hell of a leap to go from basically being Saren’s underling to partnering me on the field here. I’m not sure I’ll ever have that amount of trust. I still don’t really know what to do with her.”

We stood up out of cover as we had a moment of silence. “Tevos has basically told me your people have washed their hands of her. She is _persona non grata_. Part of me thinks just putting a bullet in her on Noveria would have been fairer on her.”

“I’m glad you didn’t, Shepard.”

“I know you are, but if she’d done the wrong thing, I would have done, and lived with the consequences.”

“I would have understood. It would have been upsetting, but what she did before… I believe she hopes in some sort of redemption.”

“That will have to come after we’ve taken down Saren.”

The base was a real maze, choc-full of geth to kill, a few krogan around too. We found a room full of indoctrinated salarians, figuring out quickly that they must have been part of Kirrahe’s original force. Most of them already had their minds broken, and those released went on the attack, either throwing themselves at geth, one or two even charging at us with whatever weapon they could find. A simple bullet to the head did the trick, but it was something that would rest on your conscience for a while.

We found even more salarians soon afterwards, these in cells. Most were as crazy as the others, but one still seemed to be of relative sound mind, explaining who he was and what happened to him. To call it unpleasant would be an understatement, Saren clearly experimenting on indoctrination. He begged and pleaded to be released, but if he’d had six solid days having that done to him, then he was obviously indoctrinated and beyond trust. When I told him he would have to stay where he was until the end, he didn’t like that, charging at the door a few times before knocking himself out.

“Idiot,” Wrex grumbled.

We seemed to be constantly going up, down, right and left, and even I was left feeling a little lost at times. We consulted the basic schematic of the base, and I think we managed to pinpoint where we were, but whether Saren had managed to build this himself, or he’d found it abandoned, it was perfect for a siege, as the enemy would get lost in the warren of corridors and dead ends.

Finding even more salarians wasn’t a particular surprise, simply amazed that we’d found most of them alive… to begin with. After introducing himself, this one seemed more with it, apparently still to be tortured and indoctrinated. He already knew about what had happened to all the others, so we didn’t have to give him that bad news at least. Offering to release him, as long as we could trust him, we found the console that opened his door. Asking what we planned to do, I told him the plan was to blow the facility. He understood, stating he’d get out of harm’s way as best he could.

If anyone was getting tired, no-one made a peep. My muscles were burning under the strain, feeling my body coated in sweat, but I’d certainly been through a lot worse. I met the eyes of everyone before we moved out, receiving a simple nod that all was okay for now.

Finding an elevator was a moment of respite at least, and I wasn’t the only one feeling confident that we were making headway. Kirrahe reported in, stating they were now really starting to run into the enemy, but for now, they were holding the line. I asked for status of wounded or killed. He told me that wounds had been taken but, so far, no KIAs. That was some good news, at least.

Making it to the top of the elevator, as soon as we stepped out, we noticed a krogan doctor, which made Wrex burst into laughter, his asari assistant, by the looks of it, and a fuck load of husks. Wrex went for the doctor, Liara the asari, the rest of us killed the husks before helping out. “Don’t let them get close!” I said, opting to use my shotgun alongside Tali for simple crowd control. With both of ours blasting, Liara helping out with some biotics, we dealt with them before taking down the asari. As for Wrex, he’d made surprisingly short work of the krogan. “Bloody useless egghead,” Wrex grumbled, kicking the dead body, “Never thought I’d find one of my own in a lab coat.”

“Think he was working on the genophage?” I wondered.

Garrus and Tali quickly checked workstations and consoles around. They downloaded what they could, but I doubted they would have been anywhere close to one. I’d read up about the genophage. Made by the salarians, dispersed by the turians. And I was left thinking krogan science was a long way behind the salarians.

I had a feeling we were getting closer to Saren, and finding another asari who worked for him wasn’t a real surprise. After introducing herself, I pretty much interrogated her for everything she knew. She was surprisingly forthcoming about indoctrination theory, Saren, and also his massive flagship, Sovereign. She even gave me the key for Saren’s lab. No doubt she did all this in the hope, or perhaps belief, I’d simply just let her go.

The bullet that went into her forehead suggested she was rather incorrect in her assumption.

No-one commented as we moved forward, now taking an elevator that headed back down, left even more confused about how high or low we were now in the base. Still, I had a feeling we were approaching the end game. Exiting the elevator, we headed down some steps where we found another Prothean beacon.

“Well, look at that. Didn’t think I’d see one of those again,” Liara exclaimed, “They really do pop up in the most convenient of places at times.”

“Right, stand back. Hopefully my contact with this one goes a lot better than Eden Prime.” Casting a glance back, I added, “And I’ll be fine. It’ll probably hurt like a bitch, but I’ll live… hopefully…”

Stepping towards the beacon, I felt myself lifted up just like the first time. Instead of fighting it this time, I simply relaxed my body and opened my mind to the visions. Unlike the first message, this time, the message wasn’t garbled. I still didn’t quite understand everything, but I now understood the basics. The beacons were a communication system, a warning about the Reapers from the Protheans. There was something else at the end, that I never saw the first time. Didn’t quite recognise that. I figured another meld with Liara would help.

Dropping to the ground, I took a knee and gave my head a shake. I felt exhausted after that, the beacons clearly not designed for someone like a human. I felt the onset of a major headache. For now, I’d just have to power through.

That’s when I looked up and noticed something else. A giant, red… cuttlefish was above us. Holographic, but it also looked vaguely familiar. Heading back up, I walked out onto a platform so I could see it properly, feeling my team gather around me.

**You are not Saren.**

The clearly synthetic voice boomed around the small room, echoing off the walls. None of us said a word. Everyone, even Wrex, seemed to stand in quiet awe. At least, for a moment… "What the hell is this? Some sort of VI or something?" Wrex asked. The rest of us remained quiet, still stunned at what was before them.

"It's a Reaper. Or, at least, the representation of one," I murmured, "I've just seen something similar in my visions."

**Rudimentary creatures of blood and flesh. You touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding.**

"This isn't just some VI…," Tali stated rather ominously.

**There is a realm of existence so far beyond your own you cannot even imagine it. I am beyond your comprehension. I am Sovereign!**

"Fuck me!" exclaimed Shepard, "You're not just some ship Saren found. You're an actual Reaper!"

**Reaper? A label created by the Protheans to give voice to their destruction. In the end, what they chose to call us is irrelevant. We simply are.**

"How is that even possible?" Liara asked, "The Protheans disappeared 50,000 years ago. How could you have possibly been there?"

**Organic life is nothing but a genetic mutation. An accident. Your lives are measured in years and decades. You wither and die.** **We are eternal. The pinnacle of evolution and existence. Before us, you are nothing. Your extinction is inevitable. We are the end of everything.**

"Please tell me one of you is recording this," I whispered back to my team. All I got was a sea of shaking heads. "Shit. The Council will never believe this. Not in a million years." I turned my attention back to Sovereign. "You make it sound all so easy. But there is an entire galaxy of races that will stand up and stop you. We'll be ready when the day comes. Mark my words."

**Confidence born of ignorance. The cycle cannot be broken.**

"Shepard, we've heard of these cycles, from my research. From what I've been able to establish, the Protheans were just the last in a long line of civilisations which have simply disappeared," Liara whispered, before turning to Sovereign, "What are these cycles?"

**The pattern has repeated itself more times than you can fathom. Organic civilisations rise, evolve, advance. And at the apex of their glory, they are extinguished.** **The Protheans were not the first. They did not create the Citadel. They did not forge the mass relays. They merely found them, the legacy of my kind.**

"Liara, is it possible?" I asked, "From your research?"

Liara nodded. "I figured there were others before the Protheans. This just confirms it. The Citadel and mass relays must be far older than we realised."

I turned back to Sovereign. "So… You built the mass relays. Why? For what purpose?"

**Your civilisations are based on the technology of the mass relays. Our technology. By using it, your society develops along the paths we desire.** **We impose order on the chaos of organic evolution.**

**You exist because we allow it.**

**And you will end because we demand it.**

We all looked at each other with concern. Ominous did not even begin to describe the threats being levelled towards us, but also the galaxy as a whole. This was something far beyond our comprehension. Beyond belief, to be honest.

"They're harvesting us! We advance to a certain level they desire then wipe us out!" Liara finally exclaimed, figuring out at least a little of their cause though not reasoning for it, "Why? For what purpose do you do this?"

**My kind transcends your understanding. We are each a nation, independent, free of all weakness. You cannot even grasp the nature of our existence.**

"Who built you?" Tali asked, "Who were your creators?" Sensible question. Quarians built the geth, so the Reapers…

**We have no beginning. We have no end. We are infinite. Millions of years after your civilisation has been eradicated and forgotten, we will endure.**

"Are there any more of you?" Garrus wondered, "Where are the rest of your kind?"

**We are legion. The time of our return is coming. Our numbers will darken the sky of every world. You cannot escape your doom.**

I felt my fists clench at my side. The arrogance of this… machine. I couldn't think of much to say, at least to begin with, so I flipped Sovereign the bird, to the mirth of my team behind me, who understood this human reference. "I don't know who the hell you think you are, but humanity has endured far worse than you. Hell, our own history is littered with events of trying to wipe ourselves out. Came close a few times. The galaxy has endured far worse. You may have ended the Protheans. But all I know is this. We'll be ready. And we'll be waiting. You're nothing but threats and hot air."

**Your words are as empty as your future. I am the vanguard of your destruction. This exchange is over.**

Before I could think of a response, the representation of Sovereign disappeared and all the windows in the office blew out, causing all of us to duck as they were showered in glass.

"Spirits, what was that?" Garrus asked no-one in particular.

"I think you pissed it off, Shepard," Wrex stated with a chuckle.

"_Commander? We've got trouble!"_ Joker reported over the radio.

"Hit me, Joker."

"_That ship, Sovereign? It's moving. I don't know what you've done, but that thing has just done a turn that would tear any of our ships in half. It's coming your way. You need to wrap things up there, and fast!"_

“Copy that, we’ll get a wriggle on.”

We moved out as a team and heard from the salarians for the first time in a while. In addition to that, Alenko also had good and bad news. The good news was that the bomb was nearly ready for deployment. The bad news was that the geth were closing on his position in heavier numbers. “Should have left him with support,” I muttered, “Joker, anything you can do from your position?”

_“Unlikely, Commander. A blast from the Normandy’s guns could just end up killing the LT and setting off the bomb regardless.”_

“Fuck! Fuck, fuckity, fuck!” I muttered.

_“Commander, I have an idea,”_ Alenko said.

“I’m all ears, LT.”

Before he could reply, Kirrahe reported charges set, and an almighty explosion happened in the distance. “Well, fuck me, the salarians actually managed it!” Wrex bellowed.

_“Commander. I’m going to set the bomb. Short count down in case I’m over-run. Go grab Ashley and the rest and get the hell off of Virmire.”_

_“Negative, LT,”_ Ashley retorted, “_Commander, Kirrahe and the rest of us can fall back to a safe distance.”_

“_No such thing as a safe distance when a nuke is going to blow in only a few minutes, Chief. Look, Commander, I know this is a bum deal, but this base must be destroyed and… I’m only one man. Save the many, sacrifice the few.”_

It was a bum deal, but the man was right. “Everyone, head for the AA tower. We’ll link up with Kirrahe and depart. Go. Now. Ashley and Shiala, prepare for our departure. We need to make sure nothing can shoot down the Normandy.”

_“Aye, sir,”_ Ashley replied.

I opened up a private channel to Alenko. “Kaidan, we still could…”

_“Saren is still around here somewhere, sir. You go find him, put a bullet in the bastard, and my sacrifice will be worth it in the end.”_ I could hear gunfire behind him, the thump of his biotics as well. He wasn’t going down without a fight. “_I’ll keep these geth back as long as I can. Once I see the blue of the Normandy disappear, I’ll make sure this baby blows.”_

“It was an honour, marine.”

_“The honour was all mine, sir. Had a hell of a time. I won’t go to my death with any complaints. Think they could name something after me?”_

I couldn’t help chuckle. “I’ll make sure it’s some sort of school. Definitely biotics.”

“_Thank you, sir. Now, get Saren for me. I’ll do what’s required.”_

I figured the _Normandy_ could have got down there, but with all the geth around, there was a chance even my ship could end up toast. So I joined the rest, laying down fire at the incoming geth and krogan. We were all now pissed off, sliding in beside Ashley. She looked at me and her face conveyed a million emotions in one. “We’ll talk back on the ship, Chief.”

“Aye, sir. We’ll make the bastards pay.”

Then Saren arrived, and I saw red, standing out of cover and blasting away with my assault rifle. The bastard had strong shields, and returned fire, enough that my own shields failed and I slid into cover. “That all you got, you indoctrinated cunt!”

"An impressive diversion, Shepard. The geth were utterly convinced these salarians were the real threat. I just hope you know that this was all for nothing. The deaths of these salarians. The soon to be death of your colleague. Such a waste. You obviously don't know what's at stake here. And I cannot let you continue to interfere with my plans."

"What the hell are you doing here, Saren? What possible reason could you have for supporting a Reaper?"

"You've seen the visions, Shepard. You know what the Reapers are capable of. They cannot be stopped."

"Bullshit, you pathetic piece of shit!"

Saren took a step forward towards me, pointing a talon as he yelled. "Don't waste my time, and theirs, on pointless revolt and petty freedoms. Have you not seen what happens when you try to fight? Look at the Protheans. They were annihilated. We were lucky to even have the beacons to warn us."

"So we should just give up without a fight? Is that your grand plan?" I retorted rather sarcastically.

"Is submission not preferable to extinction, Shepard? Trillions dead for no reason other than they wanted to fight, to protect something simply not worth saving, compared to the power of the Reapers."

"You really believe that the Reapers would let us live? You’re fucking delusional! I mean off the fucking deep end. I've seen the visions, too. It was nothing but an annihilation. An extinction. I've spoken to Sovereign. There will be no peace. We will not be allowed to live. They only want our destruction."

Saren just shook his head. "We cannot win this fight, Shepard. The Council won't understand that. None of the galactic races will understand that. We are ruled by emotion instead of logic. But we can work with the Reapers and we may be spared."

I laughed. "Work with them? You’re insane! Indoctrinated! No-one without a screw or two loose could possibly think this is a good idea. Submitting without a fight and our inevitable death? What's the point? I choose to live. And I choose to fight!"

"Ah, you misunderstand. Yes, I have joined with Sovereign. I had hoped this facility would protect me. That is why I've been studying the effects of indoctrination. And I've learned that is my saving grace. I won't be fully indoctrinated as Sovereign knows how capable I am. He needs me to complete his task of finding the Conduit. And then I will be spared. Whatever the case, we must work with the Reapers to be spared on their inevitable arrival."

"Tell me about the Conduit. What is it? Maybe we can work together to stop the Reapers?"

Saren almost laughed at my suggestion. The only reason I was still talking was to give my team time to get into position. "Shepard, the Conduit is the key to your destruction and my salvation. Finding the location is the only reason why I have not been fully indoctrinated."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "You're a fool, Saren! You're already indoctrinated! Sovereign already has you under his power. You're nothing but a puppet with Sovereign pulling the strings. It's pathetic that you could even think you're still in control."

Saren took another step forward, the pair of us barely half a dozen steps apart. I had to give respect to Saren. He appeared fearless about the fact my, and no doubt at least a dozen other weapons, were currently aimed at him. I quickly peered around behind Saren and could see the geth still holding their own positions, weapons still aimed, but still not firing. As far as Id was concerned, Saren and I may as well have been alone. I only had eyes for the turian waiting for the perfect time to strike.

"You misunderstand again, Shepard," Saren replied calmly, as if talking to a child… or an idiot, "Sovereign does need me. Once I find the Conduit, I've been guaranteed a reprieve from what is to follow. That is my only hope."

I lowered my gun as I stood out of cover, trying a different tact, though sensing plenty of weapons aimed in my direction. Sometimes this worked. Others, well… "Join me, Saren. It's not too late. We can work together. We can find the Conduit. We can stop the Reapers together. We'll explain what's happened to the Council. It… may be difficult to explain. But surely that would be better than witnessing the end of civilisation as we know it? How can you possibly justify the annihilation of every organic in the galaxy? Join me and my team, Saren, and we can beat the Reapers together."

Saren just shook his head, almost sadly, as if sorry for me. "No, Shepard. I no longer believe any such victory would be possible. The Reapers are too smart, and too powerful. They have millions of years of experience to deal with the likes of us. You've seen the visions. My only hope of survival is to work with them."

I aimed my gun again, finger trembling on the trigger. I'd tried negotiating. Now I let the anger flow. "You cowardly piece of shit! You were a Spectre. The best of the best. And you swore a vow to protect the galaxy from any and all foes. And now you turn your back on the very people you vowed to protect. You know what, Saren. Fuck you. Fuck you and the Reapers."

I pulled the trigger again and again.

And again nothing happened.

Saren raised an arm and I found himself unable to move, trapped in stasis, groaning in frustration as Saren stepped forward quickly, grabbing me around the throat and lifting me off the ground. His strength was rather surprising as I tried to undo the grip of his talons.

"I'm not doing this for myself, Shepard! How can you not see that? This is our only hope that any of us would survive! But you continue to interfere with my plans. Noveria. Feros. Therum. I had everything organised. No-one would have been any the wiser if you hadn't received your own vision. You are dangerous. You are a problem. You must die."

And Saren continued to squeeze, raising both hands to my throat and the talons surrounding it, to stop my inevitable suffocation as my throat continued to be constricted. I was already starting to feel light-headed as he struggled wildly. I couldn't believe the strength in Saren's arm.

"Let him go, you bosh'tet!" Tali cried, charging out of cover, shotgun raised as she ran towards Saren, taking at least two shots. They impacted into his shields, but again caused no damage, Saren raising his other arm and flinging a warp at her, Tali diving out of the way into cover just in time.

That was just the distraction I needed, as Saren turned his attention back to the me just in time see a fist flying towards him. My fist connected square in the turians' jaw and I dropped to the ground, immediately shaking my hand as a turian’s jaw is rather hard. Saren turned and ran back to his board, chasing after him, pistol raised firing wildly, nothing hitting it's target, as numerous other weapons finally opened as well, the geth returning fire once again. Saren was quick, getting on his board and floating away as I continued to fire, none of my shots managing to pierce his shields.

"Fuck!" I shouted as Saren disappeared from view.

"_Commander, there's no time. You need to go now!" _shouted Alenko over the radio as the _Normandy_ descended above them.

"Let's go, people! Move! Move! Move!" I shouted, gesturing towards all the survivors dotted around the AA tower. It took only seconds for everyone to run up the ramp of the _Normandy._ I was the last to board slowly, turning around to look around one last time.

Putting a finger to my ear, I asked, “How long, Alenko?_”_

_“Thirty seconds, sir.”_

“I’ll keep the channel open, Kaidan. How you doing down there?” I asked as I the _Normandy _began its ascent.

I heard the chuckle. “_I’ve had better days, sir. But… Thanks. For giving me a chance.”_

“Want me to speak to anyone when we get back?”

_“Yeah, just one person, Shepard. Tell my dad I…”_

He didn’t get to finish his sentence as I watched the explosion. I could only bow my head in respect, whispering a quiet prayer. I was not a religious man at all, but at times like that, you could only pray that he would now be looked after by some sort of higher power. As I turned back into the garage, the only thing I could promise Kaidan Alenko was that I was going to make Saren pay.

* * *

The post-mission briefing was difficult for everyone. I praised Tali for coming to the rescue regarding Saren. She was rather embarrassed but still managed to take it in good grace. Wrex was pissed off that Saren got away so easily. Liara melded with me and at least could make more sense of my vision, so that was something at least. Ashley was beside herself with guilt and grief. I knew the two had built up quite the rapport during the mission, everyone had, but she was taking it harder than most.

Dismissing everyone but Ashley, I sat back and let her get everything off her chest. “You made the wrong damned choice, sir,” she stated rather harshly, though I noticed her wipe her cheeks.

“You know I would have saved everyone if I could. But the simple fact is I saved you, Shiala and the salarians. It is the burden of command do a reason, Chief. I had to make that call. It was a shit call to be left with having to make, one I hope I don’t have to do again. But if I was left with the same decision, I would choose the many, not the few. Alenko understood and he died knowing that.”

“Nuclear fire though… No-one deserves that.”

“You’re right, but at least it would have been instantaneous. He wouldn’t have felt a thing.”

I watched her take a couple of deep breaths. “This sucks, sir. I’ve already seen too many people die since the bloody geth…”

“We’re marines, Chief. We’ve all seen death too many times.”

“How do you cope, sir? With all that you’ve done already?”

“Fight on in their memory. Make the bastards who did it bleed then die in retribution.”

“Revenge?”

“In a way. Already got payback on Haliat for what he did to Elysium. Now I’m going to make Saren pay for all his insanity, and for making me have to leave Alenko behind.”

“Will we have a memorial service for him?” I nodded. “I’d like to do a reading, if possible.”

“Of course, Chief. We’ll do it tomorrow. Think it’s best we just… take it easy tonight.”

No-one was really in the mood for much conversation as we ate dinner, everyone heading off to be alone with their thoughts pretty much straight away. I headed back to my quarters, sat down at my desk, and started to write the letter required. I’d never had to write one before. Even the one for Jenkins had been written by Anderson. I still had to report in to the Alliance and let them know what happened.

_“Commander, I’ve just received word from the Citadel. The Council are requesting the Normandy return immediately.”_

“Any reason why, Joker? We have the location of where Saren likely headed next.”

_“No, Commander. Just that your presence is expected straight away.”_

“Well that’s just fucking stupid,” I mumbled, “Okay, Joker, take us to the Citadel and I’ll see what they want.”

It took me a couple of hours but I eventually finished the letter of condolence. I read it back at least half a dozen times. It just sounded so hollow. I really liked Alenko, he was a good man, and certainly didn’t deserve how he died. But there are regulations to these letters and they just come across as… well, a little fake, to be honest.

I was just about ready to hit the hay when there was a knock at the door. I opened it to find Ashley standing on the other side. Without a word she simply stepped forward to hug me. Ashley Williams didn’t cry. Or, at least, I’d never seen her cry. She may have done it in private, but for her to do it in front of me? That was something new. I shut and locked the door and simply closed the embrace.

I held her for as long as I felt her shudder from the tears until she finally seemed to calm down, feeling her relax in my arms. I raised a hand to gently stroke her hair, my other arm wrapped tightly around her body. I inhaled her scent, and even after everything, there was a trace of deodorant and perfume. I could feel her body moulded into mine.

She leaned back and her kiss wasn’t a surprise. I responded straight away, though it didn’t last long, resting our foreheads against each other. “I really want this, Shepard,” she whispered, “I want to end this shit day with something… good…”

“Ash…”

“I know you like me, Shepard. I know you want me, but I also understand why… you pull back.”

“I have to. I can’t get close to anyone under my command. It will cause… problems, for me.”

She met my eyes. “Can I stay the night? Maybe you can just… you know, hold me?”

“You know it won’t just be that.”

She leaned forward and kissed me again, this time deepening it immediately. My body reacted of its own accord, pushing her back until she was pressed against the wall, hearing her whimper as I broke the kiss and gently bit her neck. “Shepard,” she breathed. I kissed back up, our mouths meeting. My mind was in turmoil. I’d just lost a good friend. I really shouldn’t be doing this with her. I really wanted to see her naked.

It was a real battle of wills. I could have slid my hand down her trousers and they’d have come away wet. I definitely poked her, which caused her to smile even while kissing me.

I broke apart again, taking a step back this time. She looked part pleased, part shattered. No doubt her mind was in complete turmoil. I walked to the bathroom and grabbed a towel, handing it to her. “Have a shower first. Get rid of everything from today. And before you ask, yes, I’d like to join you, but no, I’d better not.”

“I’ll just walk out naked.”

I couldn’t help chuckle. “If you want, by all means. But I’ll still be sitting here dressed.”

She disappeared and I soon heard water running, sitting back at my desk, signing off the letter and sending it off. I’m sure Anderson would be in contact soon enough to offer his thoughts and condolences too. I was sitting back, reading reports, when I looked at the time and realised she’d been in there quite a while.

Knocking at the door, there was no response. “Ash?” I asked softly. Still no response. “Ashley?” I asked again.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to find her sat under the water against the wall. It had turned cold by now. Taking off my jacket, I immediately covered her as I sat down next to her, holding her in my arm as I turned off the water. I heard her teeth chatter so stood up to grab a towel, kneeling in front of her and at least drying off her hair.

Sitting down next to her again, she slowly but surely sat up before straddling my lap, and I got a good look at her naked body for the first time. She was gorgeous. Slim and athletic. Breasts were probably a C if I guessed correctly. Little fur above her pussy. And the tell-tale signs of battle we all knew well. She leaned down to kiss me again, my hands going to her naked back. I felt a long scar on her lower left, a bullet wound on her upper right. As for her hands, they were busy unbuckling my belt.

“Fuck it,” I muttered, which made her, of all things, giggle.

Cock released, it didn’t take long for her to slide down it, gasping as I filled her. Once my length was inside her, she kissed me even harder. “I need this, Shepard,” she breathed, “Please.”

“Wrap your legs around me.”

She did that as I managed to lift myself up, Ashley hanging on as I carried her to my bed. Resting her back, I threw off the rest of my clothes and joined her, immediately sliding inside her once again. “Wow,” she whispered, “You’re fucking built, Shepard. I mean, totally hot.”

I couldn’t help chuckle at her tone. “You’re not bad yourself, Chief Williams.”

“Not bad?”

“Gorgeous,” I replied with a smile.

She draped one arm around the back of my neck, caressing my cheek with her other arm, as we slowly coupled. Her lip trembled from time to time as no doubt her emotions were all over the place. All I did was gaze into her eyes the entire time, leaning down to kiss her every so often, letting her know how beautiful she was, or how good she felt the rest of the time. Feeling her legs wrap around me, it changed the angle and made her cry out. “Fuck that’s good,” she moaned.

“We didn’t even have foreplay, Ash,” I mentioned.

“I just wanted this tonight, Shepard. I just wanted… you. I wanted us. After everyth…”

I kissed her before she could finish. “I understand. Grief works in weird ways.”

“Done this yourself?”

I stopped as I was buried inside her. “After Elysium… I went wild. A long line of… you know, they meant nothing, it was just…” I trailed off. “This is different, at least. I genuinely liked you for starters.”

She pushed me off her, showing her surprising strength, before she mounted me, resting hands on my chest. “Just so you know for next time, Shepard, I love to ride cock.” She gyrated as I was buried inside her, watching her face light up as she moaned. “And I think I’m going to love riding yours.”

Ashley Williams was right about one thing. She definitely loved riding my cock as she had her first orgasm within a few minutes. I thought she would have wanted to stop but she kept going, and enjoyed a second one a few minutes later. That’s when I grabbed her firm arse, got my legs into position, and really fucked her. That made her lean down, resting her forearms on the bed, lips pressed against mine, as I felt the oncoming orgasm.

“Give it to me,” she whispered.

“Fucking hell,” I grunted, “Going to be a good one.”

I buried myself fast and hard a few times before I finally felt eruption. The sense of relief was palpable, immediately relaxing once I felt empty, Ashley shuffling as she straddled me as she relaxed against my chest, resting one of my arms on her back. We lay back in silence, listening to each other breath.

“Well,” she finally said.

“Guess it was bound to happen eventually,” I admitted.

“I really needed that, Shepard. I needed to feel… alive. Is that wrong?”

“No. As I said, grief is a funny thing. People have different ways of reacting. I certainly feel… content now.”

“Can I stay?”

“Ashley, I’m not going to fuck you then kick you out. You’re definitely staying.”

She lifted herself up slightly. “Promise me this won’t change things. I know I’ve…”

I leaned up, kissing her softly. “It won’t, and it wasn’t just you. I could have kicked you out. Glad I didn’t now!”

That earned a smile before suggesting we should definitely shower again. There was enough hot water for a quick wash before we dried off and headed to bed. Ashley definitely enjoyed spooning against me, feeling her wriggle her butt as she got comfortable. As I felt her relax, I whispered into her ear, “You are beautiful, Ashley Williams.”

She didn’t reply to that, feeling her squeeze my hands that she was holding. I remained awake until I sensed she had drifted off to sleep. It was a good way to end a shit day and I guess what happened was always going to happen. Circumstances could have been better, but I think we both needed to blow off steam and we dealt with grief in similar ways.

I could now only wonder why I was being summoned back to the Council.


	16. Book 1, Chapter 16 - Grounded

Walking out with Ashley Williams the next morning certainly led to a rather silent mess hall, all eyes falling on her as I quickly followed her out. Standing next to her, a quick glance showed she was blushing quite brightly. “Get some breakfast,” I suggested quietly, before fixing the rest with a stare. “Yes?” I could see Tali looking between the pair of us, obviously surprised and I knew this was going to cause problems. “Want to talk about it?” I wondered.

“Not at all, Shepard. I knew it would happen eventually. I’ll have a chat with Ashley later. I know all about it so it’s not a problem.”

“Rather open minded of you, Tali,” Chakwas stated. I can only assume she would have spoken to the good doctor about being intimate with someone.

“Ashley likes Shepard. I like Shepard. Shepard likes both of us. Ashley being intimate with Shepard was an inevitability. But most importantly, I still love Ashley, and she still loves me.”

I couldn’t help smile at her words. For someone who I thought was rather… innocent, perhaps even a little naïve, her outlook had certainly developed the more she learned.

Ash had already grabbed a tray and sat next to the quarian. Tali whispered something into her ear, making Ash smile, nodding her head. Glancing around the rest, Shiala smouldered with absolute jealousy, while Liara looked… disappointed. I knew why as she’d made her feelings and intentions known. I guess it was going to be at least a little awkward now. But, quite frankly, they were adults and would just have to deal with it.

Waking up, I talked with Ashley, letting her know the score. Yes, we’d had sex. No, it wouldn’t change things. No, it probably wouldn’t happen again on the _Normandy_, at least during the current mission. No, I was not interested in a relationship. Yes, once the mission was over and we had some spare time, we could use each other for ‘stress relief’. Yes, I’d like Tali to join us. Yes, I’d be interested in other things as well.

Grabbing a breakfast tray, I sat down opposite Garrus, Wrex alongside the turian. “How you doing, big guy?” I asked of Wrex.

“Seen a lot of death, Shepard. Unfortunately, you do get a little used to it. But Alen… Kaidan, he was my friend. And I don’t mean the obvious thing. I mean he was a genuine friend, someone I could sit down and have a quiet word with.”

Garrus nodded. “His presence will definitely be missed. Good man. Definitely future CO material.”

“Glad I wasn’t the only one who thought that,” I stated before adding, “We’ll hold a memorial service later today, before we arrive back on the Citadel.”

“Still think that’s bloody stupid, sir,” Ashley said.

“Couldn’t agree more, Chief, but I cannot ignore a direct order from the Council. I might be a Spectre and have free reign, but they’re still my bosses and I do answer to someone, at least.”

The mood otherwise was still sombre, everyone falling silent as we finished breakfast before everyone filed out. I kept myself occupied with busy work, simply waiting until we docked back at the Citadel. When the time came, I put on my dress blues and joined everyone else in the garage. Even Benezia was there, which was a slight surprise, meeting her eyes and nodding silent thanks.

Words were difficult but also easy to find, if you know what I mean. It’s easy to talk about the life of someone who had impacted the lives of everyone he’d met. I didn’t dwell on his past too much, he’d dealt with all that himself. Instead, I discussed his role in the Alliance, the list of commendations from previous postings, the fact he was an important member of the _Normandy_, and that his presence would be missed by all. I then opened the floor to anyone who wished to speak. Ashley walked forward, carrying a small datapad.

“I may come across a rather hard-arsed soldier sometimes. Grew up in a military family. No time for bullshit, as my dad used to say. Don’t really know the right words most of the time either. Dad was the same. The one thing we both loved and bonded over was literature, particularly poetry. I’d like to read a passage for you.”

She then placed the datapad down and gazed around the garage. It wasn’t a real surprise that she knew the words by heart.

“This is my son, mine own Telemachus,

To whom I leave the sceptre and the isle

Well-loved of me, discerning to fulfil

This labour, by slow prudence to make mild

A rugged people, and thro' soft degrees

Subdue them to the useful and the good.

Most blameless is he, centred in the sphere

Of common duties, decent not to fail

In offices of tenderness, and pay

Meet adoration to my household gods,

When I am gone. He works his work, I mine.

There lies the port; the vessel puffs her sail:

There gloom the dark broad seas. My mariners,

Souls that have toil'd, and wrought, and thought with me

That ever with a frolic welcome took

The thunder and the sunshine, and opposed

Free hearts, free foreheads; you and I are old;

Old age hath yet his honour and his toil;

Death closes all: but something ere the end,

Some work of noble note, may yet be done,

Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.”

She wiped her cheeks, picked up the datapad, and joined the rest of the crew. We didn’t have a marine who could play the bugle, so we had to do with one played through an omni-tool. Once the tune finished, everyone bowed their heads for a moment of silence and remembrance. Clearing my throat, everyone looking up, I simply said, “You have my thanks for being here today. Wherever he is, Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko would be proud to have been loved by so many.”

The _Normandy_ remained quieter than normal until we were closet to docking on the Citadel. I think everyone was ready to just get off the ship and relax, let their minds decompress and perhaps deal with the final stages of grief. I told everyone they would have shore leave until I found out what the Council wanted, but that a skeleton staff would be required. Pressly assured me he’d keep the ship functioning. I hadn’t felt completely stressed during the entire mission, though that’s not to say I didn’t deal with a world of shit, but he’d taken on some of the responsibilities as I dealt with the possible idea of galactic annihilation. I definitely owed the man a beer.

“Do you want any of us to come with you?” Liara asked as my ground team gathered around.

“No. I’ll find out what the Council want then get in contact with you, let you know if we’re taking off straight away or if there’s, I don’t know, a mountain of paperwork to fill in. I’ve reported to them after each mission, so they aren’t being left in the dark. I think they’re just…” I trailed off, not wanting to really let them know what I think.

“Bunch of pyjacks, Shepard. We’re wasting time here,” Wrex grunted.

“I agree with the wasting time part. For now, just head off, clear your heads, enjoy at least a few hours off.”

They all headed off, some towards the Presidium, others towards the Wards. The last person to leave was Benezia, admitting surprise I was letting her roam freely. “If you want to run off, Benezia, I can’t stop you.”

The smirk made me smile. “Why would I want to do that, Shepard?”

Shrugging, I replied, “I’m sure you’re bored out of your brains on this ship. Not sure what C-Sec or the Council would say or do if I let them know I’d released you.”

Benezia turned and walked towards me, standing up to kiss my cheek. “I have no plans on doing any such thing, Shepard.” Then she definitely surprised me by giving me quite the kiss, and I’ll admit, I couldn’t help myself by responding. It lasted a good few seconds before she pulled back, the smirk still on her face. “Well, I think it’s about time I did that.”

I could have asked her a few questions, like ‘What game are you playing at?’ but I honestly think she just… liked me, for whatever reason. “No complaints from me,” I finally said.

She turned and walked out of the airlock, definitely putting an extra sway into those matronly hips of her. I watched until she disappeared from view, running a hand down my face, giving myself a few seconds to gather my thoughts, before heading straight for the Council Tower. It was as peaceful as ever, and as I was a Spectre, I didn’t have to wait long to be granted an audience.

Udina was already inside, which did worry me, as that worm was no doubt trying to get involved somehow, scheming away as always. As I headed to the platform in front of the Councillors, he stopped whatever he was saying, and he seemed rather pleased though as smug as always. His first words were a surprise though. “Good work, Shepard. Thanks to you, the Council’s finally taking real action against Saren!”

Tevos nodded as I switched attention to her. “The ambassador is correct, Commander. If Saren is foolish enough to attack the Citadel, as you believe, we will be ready for him.”

“Patrols are stationed at every mass relay linking Citadel space to the Terminus Systems,” Sparatus added.

“Okay, that’s all well and good, but what about Ilos? When will you be launching the attack?” I wondered.

Valern shook his head. “Ilos is only accessible through the Mu Relay, deep inside the Terminus Systems, Commander. If we send a fleet in there, the only possible outcome is full-scale war.”

Now Udina played his card. “Now is the time for discretion, Commander. Saren’s greatest weapon was secrecy. Exposed, he is no longer a threat. This is over.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, do you seriously think…” I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache oncoming from the sheer idiocy on display. “Okay, then let me ask you this. What about the Conduit?"

Valern shrugged. “Saren is a master manipulator. The Conduit is just a distraction from his real plan to attack the Citadel.”

“Then what about Sovereign? I spoke to the ship on Virmire. The thing is a Reaper. Saren is indoctrinated, a mere servant for the invasion that is about to happen.”

Tevos shook her head. “Only you have seen the Reapers. And then only in visions. We won’t invade the Terminus Systems because of a dream.”

I leaned forward against the railing. “I’ve worked my arse off getting to this point, tracking down every lead across the galaxy chasing that son of a bitch. I don’t know why the hell you’ve called me back here, but if you want discretion, I can do it.”

Sparatus snorted. “You detonated a nuclear device on Virmire. I wouldn’t call that discreet!”

Oh, that started it. “And I sacrificed a member of my crew to ensure Saren’s base was destroyed, so go fuck yourself, councillor.”

“Calm, Commander. Your style served you well in the Traverse, Commander. We recognise that and you have our thanks, and our sympathies. But Ilos requires a deft touch. We have the situation under control.”

I could only grip the railing harder as I felt anger, rage course through my veins. What a bunch of clueless, spineless… How the ever living fuck did these clowns end up running the galaxy? I finally looked up, gritting my teeth, trying to keep my temper in check. “If you don’t listen to me, if you don’t do anything more than sit and wait around for Saren, then we’re all fucked. The Conduit is the key. If Saren finds that, we’re all screwed. We need to go to Ilos. Now.”

“Ambassador Udina, I get the sense that Commander Shepard isn’t willing to let this go,” Sparatus warned. I guess telling him to go fuck himself was blowing up in my face.

I felt Udina’s eyes on my back. “There are serious political implications here, Shepard. Humanity’s made great gains thanks to you. But you’re becoming more trouble than you’re worth.” I stood up and met his eyes. He was a coward, immediately looking away from my glare, as he brushed by me. “It’s just politics, Commander. You’ve done your job, now let me do mine. We’ve locked out all of the Normandy’s primary systems. Until further notice, you’re grounded.”

I turned him around and grabbed his collar. “Nobody sells me out and stabs me in the back, Udina,” I growled.

“You’d better calm yourself, Commander.”

“Oh, I’ll calm myself alright.”

I put my forehead straight into his nose, hearing him cry out as it no doubt broke immediately. I followed that up with a fist in the gut, letting go of his collar as he dropped to the ground. I got down on a knee and lifted his chin. “Remember this moment, Udina. Remember it well. No-one fucks with me.” I stood up and looked over the Council. “And you worthless bunch of cunts are just as bad. You seriously underestimate what Saren is capable of. He was a fucking Spectre and you think you can handle him with what, negotiation? He won’t negotiate and won’t go down without a fight. How you sacks of shit ever managed to unite even part of the galaxy is absolutely fucking amazing. So, if you don’t mind me, I’m going to give you this,” I flipped them the bird, “And you three just have a fucking peachy day now.”

“You’ll pay for this, Shepard,” Udina groaned.

I got down on a knee again. “Udina, I could shoot you right now and there’s not a damn thing anyone can do about it. But you’re not worth the fucking bullet.” I stood up and put my boot into his stomach, sighing with relief. “God, that really felt good. Conniving little cunt.” With a mock salute in the direction of the Council, I turned and walked out of the chamber. If the _Normandy_ was impounded, I guess I had to go check for myself.

The bastard wasn’t lying, of course. Soon as I approached, a dozen marines lined up, weapons aimed. “You know that’s my ship, right?” I asked.

They’d sent someone who outranked me, at least in the Alliance. Looked like a Major from the shoulder patches. “It was your ship, sir. At the moment, we have orders not to allow any crew member on board, and I have additional orders that any crew member who attempts to board this vessel shall be shot on sight.” He paused before adding, “Apologies, Commander. Most of these boys know what you’ve done, but orders are orders.”

“And you’d shoot even me?”

“Yes, Commander,” he replied immediately, “Even the first human Spectre.”

I met the eyes of each marine. They were trained to follow orders. Their faces blank. Their weapons still. All of them aimed at me, most at my centre mass, but one or two would go for the headshot. If I even thought about approaching, I’d be a dead man. For now, I was out of the game. “Very well, Major. I’ll go away.”

“Thank you, Commander. I’d rather not kill one of our own.”

Heading away from the docking bay, I sent a crew wide message about the situation. To say I was inundated with replies would be an understatement. My ground team were not happy and we agreed to meet for drinks, as I really needed something to cool off after that. I made it to the bar first, ordering a beer and polishing that off in seconds, ordering a second one as a couple of the others walked in. Soon I had most of the ground team hanging around, asking plenty of questions.

“You hit him?” Ashley asked.

“Headbutted him, then hit him, then kicked him for good measure.”

“Good,” she stated with a smile. “Slimy bastard.”

“Repercussions?” Garrus wondered.

“Honestly don’t give a fuck. Alliance want to throw the book at me, they can go spin. I’ve worked too damn hard to track down Saren to be put on the sidelines now.”

“So what do we do?” Tali asked.

“At the moment, I don’t really know. The Normandy is under heavy guard with orders of shoot to kill. Even Joker isn’t on the Normandy, and that’s a rare thing. At the moment, we’re out of the game, but we’re not finished yet. We just need a plan.”

As drinks were consumed, we discussed what we could do. Wrex suggested a full on assault of the docks to take back the ship, but I insisted I wasn’t going to kill any Alliance personnel. There wasn’t any real way we could sneak onto the ship. Honestly, we were stuck.

Eventually, it was just Ashley, Tali, Wrex and Garrus with me, Liara and Shiala heading off early to find somewhere to stay the night. Ashley and Tali were sitting either side of me, both being very friendly. I’d calmed down by now, at least, so could appreciate the attention.

“Since we’ve got some time now, Shepard, why don’t we do something… well, a little crazy.”

“What’s on your mind, Ash?”

“Well, I’ve slept with you, enjoyed Wrex, but I haven’t had turian yet. Why don’t the five of us go to that same room you rented for Tali and I and have some fun?”

I glanced at Wrex, who immediately started to laugh. Garrus looked awkward. “I can’t do that, Ashley. What about Chloe?”

“Fuck it, bring her along too. She’s French, isn’t she? I’ve heard they’re a rather open-minded people.”

“But we’ve only just…” He sighed. “Look, how about I just go and you four do what you want?”

“No turian cock for me?” Ashley pouted.

“I’m afraid not. I like you, Ashley, but not in that way. And, more importantly, I love Chloe. And I’m not interested in being intimate with anyone else except her.”

“Good man, Garrus,” I stated, “Perhaps you should go see her. I’ll let you know when the situation changes.”

“Thanks, Shepard.”

Once he left, Ashley leaned into me. “So just us four then? Do you want to see Tali out of her suit?”

I glanced at the quarian beside me. “God yes. If she’s anything like you described…”

“Her pussy is divine, Shepard. You must eat her out.”

I picked up my glass and finished it in one gulp. “Fuck it, considering I’m no longer in command, we’re having some fun. You joining us, Wrex?”

“You know what, think I’ll sit this one out, Shepard. I think you should have some fun with your friends.”

“Sure?” Ashley asked, “I can take both of you at once.”

“Really?” I asked.

Ashley shrugged. “I’m willing to give it a go. That just means you’ll get my arse, Shepard. I don’t think I could handle Wrex there.”

We all looked at Wrex. He got up and wandered to the bar, ordering a shot of something, which he downed, before walking back to us. I could help chuckle. “Alright, that didn’t take much convincing. Let’s go,” I suggested.

I called ahead to the same hotel, wondering if they could do the same thing as last time. They could do so immediately, booking the room next door as well. Tali went into the clean room first, where there was also a small decontamination room. The three of us washed thoroughly in the other room first before joining Tali, surprised she was still in her suit when I walked in, Ashley suggesting she’d wait with Wrex for a little while. “You going to have him fuck you?”

“I thought you might like some alone time with Tali first, Shepard. We’ll just wait in here.”

I gave her a soft kiss. “Thanks. And you’re definitely getting fucked later.”

“I plan on being rather sore later tonight, Shepard.”

I couldn’t help chuckle. Tali was clearly nervous as I walked in, waiting for decontamination cycle to finish before walking in. I’d thrown on just a shirt and trousers after my shower, Tali slowly rising to her feet as she walked towards me. “Just us two?” she asked quietly.

“For now. I think Ashley is about to get seriously pounded by Wrex again.” Tali giggled as I added, “And I guess you asked for me alone too?”

She nodded as I walked towards her, eventually wrapping my arms around her, holding her close. “Oh, I like this,” she whispered. I could feel her shake every so often.

“Nervous?” I felt her head nod. “Were you the same with Ashley?”

“I was nervous with her but it was… different. You’re…” She looked up, watching her eyes shine brightly behind the mask. I could just about see the faint outline of her face. “Shepard, I’ve crushed on you hard since you walked into that alley. I never thought…” She ran a hand down her mask and looked down. “I never thought you’d wonder or want to see what’s behind this?”

I placed a finger under her mask, lifting her head so her eyes met mine. “Well, no time like the present then…”

Raising my hand to the side, she helped guide my hand to the clasps that kept it in place. Once I’d undone those, there was a slight hiss before I gently started to pull it away. She was now shaking quite a bit, clearly nervous about what was about to happen. Pulling the mask away completely, I felt the grin form immediately. She’d closed her eyes, and I noticed the tears trickle down her cheeks. Placing the mask down on the bed next to us, then helped lower the hood before I then freed the rest of her head from the suit. The long, raven hair was a real surprise. Looking down, she had very faint eyebrows, her eyes were still closed, her nose was tiny, her lips were full. Her skin was what I would call ashen-purple, and she was very pale. I could see traces of what were… cybernetics? I wasn’t quite sure, but knew quarians had been modified to deal with life on the Fleet and in suits.

“Well, hello there, beautiful,” I whispered.

Her eyes opened and I felt the smile only broaden, particularly when her face lit up with her own. “You really mean that?” she whispered.

“Definitely.” I leaned down and gently pressed my lips to hers, feeling arms swung around my neck immediately as the kiss deepened. Since she’d had a bit of experience with Ashley already, our first kiss probably wasn’t as awkward as it could have been. In fact, I think she must have taken tips, as she was already rather good. Running my hands around her back, I couldn’t stop myself from getting a handful of that arse. She giggled when I gave it a gentle squeeze.

“Someone approves,” she said softly.

“Hips and arse, Tali. You should thank whatever god you believe in.”

“Want to help me get out of my suit?”

“Um… yes, please.”

I’ll admit, it took a bit of work getting her out of the suit. She took off her gloves first, noticing two fingers larger than my own, with a different sort of fingernail. We then focused on taking off her top half, exposing her rather slim arms before her chest and back piece practically came off together. That exposed her top half and I got my first look at her breasts. About a handful, the same pale colour though her nipples seemed to be dark purple more than anything. There was also the trace of cybernetics running up her sides and stomach. Running a finger over them, I did ask what they were.

“We’ve had to make many adaptions to our physiology due to living on a ship. We’re still organic but… We need help just to survive. It’s why we need to return to our homeworld, Shepard. We’re probably going to die out in space if we don’t.”

“Things are that bad?” She shrugged, I guess just voicing her own opinion. “Want to go back?”

“Oh, not yet. Not by a long shot.”

I held her close to me, feeling her shake and hearing her giggle as my fingers gently caressed her back. She was obviously very sensitive so a little ticklish as well. “Keelah, I’ve waited so long for this, Shepard,” she whispered.

Leaning down, I kissed her again, holding her close to me as we did. Despite how much shorter she was, as she was a good six inches at least, we made it work. Breaking apart, the desire in her eyes was something else, and I knew we had to move things on. Focusing on her lower parts, we removed her suit first before exposing her feet, again rather different to my own. The part covering her shins was next before her upper thigh and groin parts could then be removed. I sat on the bed as she then stood naked in front of me. And I was hard as a rock.

“Fucking hell,” I whispered.

“What?” she asked, turning very shy, very quickly.

I pulled her towards me, running a hand up and down her back, caressing her arse, as I kissed between her breasts and down her chest. “You are absolutely fucking gorgeous, Tali. Your body matches your personality one hundred and ten percent.”

Feeling her start to shake, I looked up to see she was crying. Standing up, I held her close as she let it all out. I think it was nerves and a whole lot of other feelings she was experiencing. Once I felt her settle down, it was no surprise she started to fumble at my belt. Figuring I may as well help, I took off my shirt as my trousers hit the floor, Tali wasting no time hooking a finger into my underwear and lowering that too.

“Oh my,” she whispered before her hand gently wrapped itself around my cock. “Oh my, Shepard…”

“I’m glad you approve, Tali.”

That made her giggle. “Oh, this is definitely going inside me very shortly, Shepard. Definitely, absolutely, I will not take no for an answer.”

“That’s why I’m here, Tali. I wasn’t walking out with us making love.”

She looked up at that, the smile forming quickly. “I love the sound of that, Shepard,” she said softly.

Pushing her gently back onto the bed, she seemed to realise quite quickly what I wanted to do, shuffling back so her head rested on a pillow, while I kissed up one her legs before I hovered over her. Leaning down to kiss her lips, she definitely knew what I was up to, opening up her body so I could kiss her neck. She was still very sensitive, gasping loudly when my lips touched her skin there, and she giggled as I slowly kissed down her body, showing her breasts plenty of appreciation.

Hearing her gasp, she whispered, “I had no idea they could be so… sensitive.”

“You like it?”

“I love it, Shepard,” she breathed.

So I spent some time there, completely ignoring her sex, and I’ll be honest, I could feel the heat from it just from resting my body close to her. Slowly kissing down her body, appreciating how fit and athletic she was, something no-one would realise because of the suit she wore, I ignored her sex again by kissing down one thigh before swapping to kiss up the other.

“Shepard!” she moaned.

“Yes, Tali?”

“Stop teasing me… Please!”

She was almost begging me, and I’m not a hard hearted bastard, and to be honest, I really wanted to make her cum. So I stopped, kissing up and over her sex, gently tickling her stomach, which earned a giggle, before kissing down and finally tasting her properly. She moaned loudly the first time my tongue ran up her slit, and once I got a taste, there was no chance I was going to stop.

“Keelah… Shepard…” she cried softly as I wrapped a hand around each thigh and practically went to town on her. She tasted… different to human or asari. Not sure why, and it wasn’t a bad taste, just different. But my tongue was soon probing her depths, feeling her fingers run through my hair, legs wrapped around my upper arms, as she was soon crying out my name or other words which seem rather unintelligible at the time.

“I’m going to cum,” she cried softly. That surprised me a little bit, though that simply made me double down on what I was doing. I felt one of her hands clasp my hair to keep my place, almost forcing her body down into my mouth, gyrating against my mouth. To be honest, it was a complete turn on, and I was glad she knew what she wanted.

“Make me cum!” she cried, though it was nearly an order as well. So I switched all attention to her swollen clit. Yep, she lasted about thirty seconds before I felt her shudder violently in my hands, crying out as her back arched. “Keelah!” she cried loudly, though she made no effort to stop me, so I just kept on doing what I was doing. I think she was soon sobbing through her orgasm, though her hand tightened on my hair, almost forcing me to keep going. “Don’t stop,” she sobbed.

I finally lifted my mouth for a second. “Sure?”

“Please, Shepard,” she sobbed, “I want to cum again from what you’re doing.”

So I kept going, now practically rubbing her groin in my face. Every few seconds, she’d start to shudder and shake, wondering if she wasn’t going to just pass out on me. But after another couple of minutes, she whispered she was about to have another one. That made her cry out again, similar to her first one, and that was when she finally cried enough for the time being, letting go of my hair and asking me to stop. I kissed up her body, watching her shudder every so often, before I rested above her. She didn’t hesitate kissing me.

“Give me a couple of minutes, Shepard. My heart is going crazy.” She leaned up to give me a soft kiss. “Then you can make love to me.”

“Gentle?”

“I’ve never had….” She trailed off and blushed. “Shepard, you know I’ve never…”

“Tali, I’m joking. I certainly don’t want to hurt you.”

We made out for a little while, letting her recover, before we positioned ourselves so my cock rested at her entrance. Even just grazing her pussy made her gasp and smile as we kissed. “I’ve waited so long,” she whispered.

“How long?” I wondered.

“The day you saved me, Shepard. You looked at me with such kind eyes… and the fact you saved me. Then everything since!” She paused before adding, “I love Ashley, I really do. We’ve made a real connection; one I’ll always treasure. But you, Shepard… I’ve fantasised about you since that first day.”

I leaned down to kiss her. “Time to stop fantasising then.”

Pressing against her, she simply leaned back and smile as the head of my cock slowly slipped inside her, earning a loud gasp once it was inside her. I slid a little more with every few seconds, feeling her shuffle underneath me as she got comfortable. I was surprised at how much she could take before suggesting we start to make love.

It was some of the best sex I’d ever had up to that day. Tali seemed to have an idea of what to do, or at least an idea of what she liked and definitely what I might like. But, to be honest, she seemed to just love the fact she was underneath me, her hands running up and down my arms and back, as I gently thrust into her, earning plenty of moans and gasps and she’d occasionally adjusted her body, definitely smiling whenever I seemed to hit somewhere different inside her.

But it was when I lay on my back and she straddled me that she really appreciated me. Watching her tiny body slide down my cock was almost awe inspiring, and once she settled and started to ride me, my orgasm was guaranteed. I was going to cum before. Now? I was going to last five minutes if I was lucky.

She came first, and she came hard. I mean the sort of orgasm where she lay flat against my stomach and couldn’t even handle me touching her for a few minutes. It was only after she recovered that she realised. “You haven’t cum, Shepard.”

“Just waiting for you, gorgeous.”

That just made her smile before she leaned down, resting her forearms to either side of me. “Well, I think you need to cum, Shepard. Now why don’t you just grab my arse and fuck me.” I couldn’t help raise eyebrows at her tone as she kissed me. “Shepard, I can handle a few minutes of you pounding me hard. And I want you to fuck me. So fuck me.”

So I fucked her. I grabbed onto that arse and I gave her everything I had. I wasn’t going to last long, no more than five minutes, but she seemed to love every second, her kisses, when capable, more passionate than those before. She eventually rested an arm next to me, her eyes meeting mine, and she’d whisper all sorts of rude things to me before I finally buried myself inside her and came hard. The sort of orgasm that necessitated me lying back for at least a couple of minutes and my mind going blank.

I felt her kissing me softly on the lips as my frazzled mind started to work again, holding her close to me, both of us unable to stop grinning at the other. “Keelah, I needed that,” she whispered.

_“You guys finished yet?”_ Ashley called over my omni-tool. Tali and I shared a glance and laughed.

“Are you waiting or something, Ash?” Tali wondered.

_“Wrex and I have behaved, but I really need to be fucked right now, and Wrex is getting bored.”_

“Thought you two would have fucked by now?” I suggested.

_“I made him wait, which probably wasn’t the best idea.”_

I looked at Tali, and she seemed happy to continue, so I replied, “Okay, come on through, we can make this work.”

Tali didn’t move as Ash and Wrex burst through the door, took one look, and almost turned around immediately. Wrex shut the door as Ash came and joined us straight away, laying a gentle kiss on Tali’s cheek before she lay down next to me. “Enjoy yourself, Tali?”

“It was wonderful, Ash. Glad I waited though. Made it even better, I think.”

“Yeah, I felt the same thing after we made love.”

“Guess it’s your turn now?”

“What will you do?”

“I’ll just watch, perhaps just hug Shepard or something. Not sure how this will work.”

Tali slid off me as I sat up and wandered over to the small fridge, grabbing a bottle of water, offering Tali one. Ashe and Wrex said they didn’t need anything just yet. I knocked back most of the bottle before we all looked at each other, and for a few seconds, it was a little awkward. Finally, Wrex made a move without saying anything, simply laying back on the bed, and that was the first time I got a look at what he was packing. “Fucking hell,” I muttered.

He didn’t say anything as Ashley climbed onto the bed, immediately straddling the krogan, slightly surprised that she started to rub herself along his length. I’m man enough to admit he was much larger than me, and definitely wondered how Ashley was going to take both him and myself at the same time. Thankfully, Wrex had walked in with a bottle of lube, Tali handing it to Ash, noticing she did pour a rather liberal amount on Wrex. I stood back next to Tali. “So, watched this before?”

That made her giggle. “Only the once, Shepard.”

“And you’re ready for me next, Ash?”

She glanced at me and smiled. “That’s what I was doing next door, skipper. Even lubed myself up nice and slick for you to just slide it in. After you’ve got yourself ready, of course.”

“I’ll do it!” Tali exclaimed, and I couldn’t help chuckle as she happily got down on her knees, taking the bottle and pouring a very liberal amount in her hands. As Ash slowly slid down onto Wrex, Tali started to stroke me back to life, not that I’d gone particularly soft, but just making sure I was nice and hard once again.

Ash was riding Wrex slowly, obvious waiting for me to get into position. I guess she was expecting me to take charge of the situation. Climbing onto the bed, I got a great look at her firm arse, giving it a firm slap at the same time. That made her look back and smile. “You approve, Skipper?” I answered by lowering my mouth and flicking her arsehole with my tongue. That made her gasp before I ran my tongue up her back before I gently nibbled at her neck.

“Ready, Chief?” I breathed into her ear.

“Just be gentle. Only done this once,” she whispered, “Never had two cocks in me at once before.”

“So only anal once?” She nodded. “And now you’re taking two at a time?”

“Well, if Tali had a dick…”

I sat back for a moment, making sure I was well and truly lubed up, before I gently prodded Ashley with my fingers, eventually slipping a couple inside her. That made her moan, still barely moving on Wrex, wondering how he was doing. “Wrex?”

“Shepard.”

“Doing okay?”

“Just waiting for you to start. Not sure what I’m meant to do other than provide the second dick.”

“Trust me, Wrex, you won’t have to move much,” Ash moaned.

Removing my fingers, I positioned myself, eventually having to be in some sort of crouch, prodding Ashley’s arse with my cock. She moved forward at first, so I gently grabbed her left shoulder to hold her in place. “Relax,” I whispered.

“Done this before?”

I didn’t laugh though I couldn’t help smile. “Of course.”

“Be gentle, Shepard.”

Pressing at her back entrance, she accepted my cock easier than I expected, though I stopped once the head slipped inside. I let her get ready to just that being inside her before I gently slid a couple more inches in, Ashley whispering for Wrex to absolutely not move until she said so. The krogan obliged, Tali now sat beside me, watching with interest.

“Ash, I can’t believe…”

“Feels wonderful, Tali,” Ash moaned.

I didn’t pull back and thrust forward too much until I finally buried my length, again leaning forward to kiss Ash on the cheek. “Well, I’m now buried in your arse, Ash.” That made her turn her head to look at me with a smile. “I assume I’m taking it gentle?”

“You both are, considering the length of cocks I now have inside me.”

So Wrex and I did as she requested. He was already comfortable, so simply grabbed her and started to gently thrust up. I positioned myself as comfortably as possible and tried to alternate my thrusts into Ash. She lasted five minutes before she orgasmed, and she orgasmed hard. I thought she would have given up straight away, but she ordered us to keep going. When she told both of us to go a little harder, that was a red rag to a bull. Wrex wasted no time starting to pump up into her, and he surprised even me by admitting he was getting rather close. I guess having made love to Tali earlier, I was going to last longer.

“Shepard, stop,” Ashley breathed, so I did, making sure I was buried inside her. “Okay, Wrex. Fuck me.”

The krogan didn’t need asking twice, pounding Ashley for a good few minutes before he groaned, or perhaps I should say roared, before he blasted inside her. It must have been good, as even he admitted he was already done. I think he just wanted to get out from underneath her. It took a little manoeuvring for him to get out from underneath her, but Ash was soon comfortable on her knees on the bed with me still behind her. She laid her head down on the bed and glanced back. “Now it’s just me and you, Skipper.”

I cleared my throat and used my eyes to gesture towards someone else. “Oh, of course. Tali, would you like to be involved?”

“How?”

“Well, if Shepard’s going to keep fucking my arse, why don’t you eat me out and I’ll… No, that won’t work. I can feel myself dripping still. So I can just eat you out instead.”

Tali found that idea rather appealing, lying in front of Ashley, who wasted little time lowering her mouth to that quarian pussy. She probably tasted the residue of my cum, no doubt still leaking at least a little bit out of her, but I simply focused on that tight little arse of Ashley Williams. I was soon fucking her even harder, and she was definitely enjoying it, not quite able to concentrate on Tali as I picked up my tempo.

“Fuck, skipper,” she groaned.

“Okay?”

“God yes. So good…”

I glanced around to see Wrex sat on the couch, can of beer in hand, simply watching events. He met my eyes and smirked. “No complaints, Shepard. About time you three got busy. Only one missing is Liara. Bet she’s with Shiala though.”

I thought Ashley would have asked me to stop before I came, but once I changed position so I was crouching over her, resting my forearms beside her body, now able to breath into her ear, she figured I was close. “Love this, Shepard,” she moaned, now not concentrating on Tali at all, the young quarian simply watching her lover have her arse pounded by her other lover.

“Not too much longer,” I grunted.

“Doing this again,” she added.

“Fine by me. Your arse is fantastic.”

That made her chuckle before she turned to kiss my cheek. “Cum in me, Shepard,” she breathed.

She got what she wanted a couple of minutes later, burying my cock a final time and erupting deep inside her. It was quite the orgasm for myself, barely able to hold myself up, Ashley wisely lowering her body flat to the bed, taking me with her, making sure I remained inside her for the time before. I even felt her give my cock a few squeezed, giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek as I chuckled.

“That was hot,” Tali whispered.

“You should try it one day, Tali,” Ash suggested, “Once you get used to the feeling, it’s fantastic.”

Withdrawing my cock, I was relieved all was good, though I’d clearly had enough for the time being. Lying back on bed, I soon had Ashley to one side, Tali to the other. That’s when Wrex laughed, the big krogan getting up and starting to assemble himself in armour. I gave him a curious look. “Shepard, trust me, my presence isn’t required here any longer.”

“Wrex,” Ash started to say.

“I’m not offended, Ash. It was good fun. But I think what I’m seeing on the bed is the truth. Shepard, you’ve got a good thing going here. Just don’t fuck it up by, I don’t know, dying or something.”

“I’ll do my best, Wrex.”

“Good. Now, if you don’t mind me, I’m going to grab a drink or ten at a bar. Once you’re done here, you’re more than welcome to join me. Until then, you kids just have fun.” With that, he wandered out the door, hearing him laugh away to himself, muttering away.

I glanced at my two bed mates. “Shower?”

They loved that idea, the three of us ending up under hot water in a rather roomy cubicle. The night was still young, and I figured we could enjoy a lot more fun together. What threw a slight spanner in the works was a message I received just as I was about to get ready to eat out Ashley Williams for the first time that night. The ping suggested it was a priority message, and even she knew I could ignore it. Opening it up, I knew the raised eyebrows of mine would provoke questions.

_Shepard,_

_Meet me at the Orion Coffee Shop on the Presidium at 1000 hrs Citadel Time tomorrow._

_I will explain in person._

_Anderson_

I explained the brief message to both of them. They figured as much as I did. Anderson was going to get us off the Citadel. Trying to concentrate on sex after that was difficult as my mind immediately went to what was next, so it was little surprise the three of us just ended up lying back and chatting. I thought it might have been a little awkward considering what we’d just done together, but the two girls definitely liked each other, and the three of us liked each other, so it was fine.

I woke up in the morning to my cock being sucked by both of them. Though we didn’t have sex, we all enjoyed an orgasm by the time we had to get up and dress, and I’ll admit to simply sitting back and watching Ashley and Tali eat each other out. Probably the most erotic thing I’ve ever seen, their affection and enthusiasm to please each other certainly on display.

Anderson was already waiting for me when I walked into the coffee shop. Before arriving, I’d sent a ship wide message, ordering everyone to be ready for immediate departure, pending on the information from Anderson. We shook hands before I sat down. Ready to order a coffee, he said that wouldn’t be necessary.

“Are you ready to go, Shepard?” he wondered.

“Just give me the word, sir, and I’m out of here. But how’s this going to work?”

“I’ll do what is necessary, Shepard.”

It sounded ominous. “Sir, you could be…”

“Don’t worry about me, Shepard. I’ll be vindicated once you bring the bastard down. You need to get on the Normandy. It will take you ten minutes to get from here to the ship. In that time, I was disable the lockdown and order the troops away. Fake, obviously. I’ve notified Admiral Hackett and he’s given the okay for what I’m about to do.”

“Going over Udina’s head?” I wondered, unable to hide the smirk.

“I’ll make sure nothing comes of what happened. The man is a snake, Shepard. Fuck Udina. And fuck the Council, come to think of it.” I couldn’t help chuckle at his tone. “You ready to go?”

“Just give the order, sir.”

“Get to the Normandy, Shepard. You’ll only have a small window to get out before I’m arrested and the lockdown reinforced.”

I opened my omni-tool and broadcast a message. “This is Commander Shepard to all crew of the Normandy. Make your way to the docking bay for immediate departure. I repeat, make your way to the docking bay for immediate departure. You have ten minutes. That is all. Shepard out.”

Rising to my feet, Anderson offered his hand. “Good luck, Shepard.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Get going. Once you get there, the marines will be gone and you can go take care of Saren.”

There was no time to delay, catching a taxi from a nearby rank, arriving at the entrance to the docking bay, where crew members were already gathering. Heading upstairs, the marines had already disappeared and I waited outside, counting off the crew members as they arrived back. All of them looked pleased, even excited to return, knowing that what we were doing was effectively mutiny. I knew Anderson was going to pay the price, so all I could do for the moment was repay his faith in me. Garrus was actually the last one to appear, jogging along as he appeared surprised, stopping for a moment.

“Mutiny, Shepard?”

“Technically. But considering I’m a Spectre and this is my ship…”

The turian chuckled. “Well, I’ve never been a particularly good turian anyway. But the bastard needs stopping, and looks like we’re the one people who can.”

“Glad you’re on board, Garrus.”

“Wouldn’t miss this for the world, Shepard.”

With everyone on board, I stepped through the airlock and into chaos. Little surprise as there was a mixture of nerves, excitement, perhaps even a little fear. I put two fingers in my mouth and whistled, everyone falling silent and looking at me. “You know your jobs, people. I assure you we’ll be fine. Do you jobs like I know you can. Once this is over, you will face no repercussions. I will make sure of it.”

“Yes, sir,” came the chorus, the crew relaxing immediately. I stepped towards the cockpit, Joker already in position. I figured he’d probably been waiting nearby, just itching to get back on the ship.

“Orders, Commander?”

“Take us out, Joker. We’re going hunting.”


	17. Book 1, Chapter 17 - The Mutineeers

Nervous excitement infected the crew. They were still doing their jobs, the chatter was slightly louder than normal, but I let it go for now. All I wanted was for the _Normandy_ to get to Ilos safely and to finally track down Saren and kill the bastard. I did wonder what happened to Anderson once we’d made our escape. I had sent him a message but heard nothing back, so figured he’d already been arrested. I didn’t believe the Alliance would sent anyone to hunt us down. Anderson believed, and I had a feeling Hackett did as well.

The journey to Ilos would take at least a couple of days, heading deep into the Attican Traverse. We would pass through systems that had either only been recently discovered, or we would pass through completely uncharted systems, wondering if we shouldn’t be sending out a tonne of probes at the same time. I knew some of the crew would be worried about our presence, but we were a lone ship, and had the fact we could run silent and practically invisible. As long as we were careful, we’d make it to Ilos without a problem.

Of my team, it was easy to see Tali and Ashley were both in very good moods. Ashley remained a model professional in front of everyone. Tali… was a little more affectionate, though I didn’t mind in front of her engineers. They were all aware that she liked me, though wouldn’t have known that our relationship had turned physical. She didn’t say anything to give away what we’d been up to.

I had a chat with Garrus, and he told me he’d spent some time with Chloe, the relationship apparently already turning rather serious. Wrex admitted he’d had a lot of fun back on the Citadel but suggested his time with me would draw to a close once we’d caught Saren, not wanting to get involved with everything else going on.

Then there was Liara and Shiala. The pair seemed to be rather closer, enough that Benezia had picked up on it, pulling me back into the mess as before I had walked through the med-bay. “I do believe my daughter is involved with another asari,” she told me quietly, “I find this surprising considering both of them seem to be infatuated with you.”

“Maybe they need the physical release?”

“While that is true, there is something about Liara that makes it…” She paused before gesturing to the nearby table. Seating herself, looking as elegant as ever, she asked, “What do you know about the asari and our mating rituals?”

“Not a lot, to be honest.”

“Liara is what we term a ‘pureblood’ asari.” I didn’t understand, obviously, so Benezia added, “That means her mother and father, to put it in terms you would understand, were both asari. Though there are millions of pureblood asari still born to this day, there are negative connotations to being one.”

“Liara knows she is one?”

“She has always speculated. I have never confessed to it being the case. Asari falling in love with each is not unusual, and if there were significant dangers, we would never have progressed as a species. But once we realised we could mate with other species, it was soon popular for asari to mate with other species, as though the child is born asari, the child will take some of their ‘fathers’ DNA, and it is regarded as the further evolution of our species.”

“Why did you choose an asari as a mate?”

That made her smile. “Because I was in love, Shepard. You probably sit there now and see a Matriarch who has performed acts recently which would make you wonder how I’d ever fallen in love…”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

“I wouldn’t blame you if you did though. But I did love her father. We spent a century together very happily married.”

“I assume you are no longer together?”

“No. Once I fell pregnant with Liara, I chose to end our relationship so our daughter could be raised without the stigma of being pureblood. Very few if anyone knows the truth about her, though I’m sure the secret has been discovered over the years. The fact Liara has been suspicious would suggest she’s put two and two together over the decades. I very rarely mention her father.” Benezia trailed off, not meeting my eyes.

“You still love her?”

“Always,” she whispered, “But it was for the best.”

I figured moving the conversation on might help. “What will you do once we’re finished here?”

“I will fling myself in front of my fellow Matriarchs and beg forgiveness. If you succeed in taking down Saren, and I am part of your crew, though my current position suggests I’m… What am I, Shepard?”

“I’m not sure, to be honest. I can’t take you into the fight against Saren. You are far too susceptible to this indoctrination you spoke of. Is that still an issue?”

“I fight the voices every day, Shepard. It is… It is exhausting at times. But not being near that ship, near Saren, it is helping me. Anyway, if I am part of the Normandy when you eliminate Saren and his threat, then perhaps I will not be judged as harshly as I would be if you’d killed me on Noveria.” She paused before leaning forward, resting a hand on mine. “Thank you, Shepard.”

“For what?”

“For not killing me. It has given me a chance to reconnect with my daughter. It is still difficult but I am hopeful. I know she doesn’t exactly trust me. It will take time to re-establish our relationship. Shiala despises me now, and I do not blame her. Most of my acolytes are now dead. Those who remain alive are indoctrinated and are now at Saren’s side. I find myself… alone. It is an unusual feeling.”

“I’ve killed a lot of people, Benezia. There is a reason I saved you, though. I figured you could prove to be helpful, if not on the field, at least in helping establish what makes Saren tick.”

“Don’t believe all the anti-human propaganda you have been told, Shepard. There is one simple reason Saren is on this crusade. That ship he resides on. It has infected his mind as much as it did mine. Destroy his ship and you will likely destroy him.”

“Do you think he can be saved or redeemed?”

“I find that doubtful, Shepard. I believe he is what you would term a ‘lost cause’. It was hubris on my part that thought I could save him, turn him from the path he has since walked down. He or that ship was more powerful than I could have ever imagined.”

“And the Reapers?”

She met my eyes. “They must be stopped, Shepard. No matter the cost.”

“That’s the plan, Benezia.”

She smiled and seemed to relax back into her chair. “Were you planning on speaking to my daughter just before?” I shrugged, which made her smile broaden. “Do you find her interesting?”

“Of course.”

“Attractive?”

“Yes.”

“What about me?”

That caused a moment of surprise before I simply returned her smile. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t.”

“I’ve never been with a human before, Shepard.” She paused before adding, “Not sure why I just told you that either. There is something about you though. An inner strength that seems to draw people towards you like a beacon. I have found myself increasingly attracted the longer I’ve been on this ship.”

“Are you proposing something, Benezia?”

She rose to her feet and gracefully took the seat next to me, her arm resting on the back of my chair as she leaned closer. “I believe I would enjoy my first experience with a human if it was with you, Shepard,” she stated softly, lips close to my ear, feeling her breath on my neck, “But… But you cannot be with me before you have enjoyed my daughter.” I couldn’t help chuckle for a moment before glancing at her, meeting her eyes. “I am serious, Shepard. If I were to… claim you first, she would be incredibly jealous and it would destroy the very shaky foundations of our rebuilding relationship.”

“Again, I would suggest you were offering your daughter to me, Benezia.”

“In a way I am, Shepard. She is infatuated with you. In fact, I believe it is more than just infatuation or a simply crush. I don’t believe she is in love, though it is possible, even likely, those feelings will develop in time if you were to be intimate with her.” She paused before adding, “But I still want to experience you too. I don’t think my daughter would be interested in sharing you with me, for example.” She cleared her throat. “You should be with her before Ilos. Then once you have been with her, perhaps you would like to enjoy me?”

I glanced her way again. In the low light of the mess, without the indoctrination that had appeared in her eyes, she was certainly beautiful. Pretty much an older version of Liara. There was a depth of wisdom in her eyes I had rarely seen. Her face was almost carved from stone. I believed many asari would have found her beautiful. I would admit I’d checked her out on more than one occasion. I noted the word above. Graceful. The way she walked spoke of a poise and natural flow that belied centuries of what probably amounted to training in certain societal circles.

“I might take you up on both your offers, Benezia,” I finally replied. That simply earned a smile and a kiss on my cheek.

“It is about time, Shepard. I believe my daughter will enjoy herself with you.” And with those words, she stood up and left me alone. I happily watched her walk away as she took the long way around, definitely putting an extra shake into her hips, glancing back and winking, which simply caused me to chuckle to myself again. I’ll be honest, I had only saved her because I thought she would prove useful against Saren, and while she’d been able to explain certain motives, I certainly wasn’t going to make her part of my team, and I knew the indoctrination of Saren or his ship still lingered. I doubt it would ever truly go away, therefore she would be difficult to ever trust completely. But she’d done nothing so far to earn my ire while on the _Normandy_.

But despite what she said, in the end, I didn’t even have to make a move. We were still at least a number of days from the Mu Relay that would eventually take us to Ilos when she knocked on my door one evening. Calling her in, I was still sat at my desk, going over more reports, turning to her when she didn’t approach. Instead, she leaned back against the door and appeared unsure.

“Something wrong, Liara?” I wondered, turning my chair to face her.

She hesitated for only a moment before striding forward with purpose, leaning down and she kissed me hard, the sort of kiss that spoke of a million different feelings at once. I kissed her back immediately, rising to my feet, wrapping my arms around her. I’ll give her credit right now. She had either been practicing with Shiala, or she was a naturally good kisser, as I rose to occasion very quickly, and she definitely felt it as she pressed her body into mine, as she started to smile.

There was no need to say anything. Her white suit was easy to remove, delighted to see the black lingerie she was wearing underneath, and I reckoned she had worn it for my benefit only. I complimented her on it, which raised a shy smile, before she focused on me. Once I was out of my jacket and trousers, she spent some time simply running her hands up and down my arms, chest and back. “Humans are so different,” she murmured, “All this… hard muscle…”

“We’re not all like that,” I retorted gently, “Took a lot of hard work to get into this shape.”

She took my shirt off and her hands seemed to grip my body even tighter. Kiss her again, I undid her bra with one hand rather easily, letting into fall to the ground, feeling her breasts press into my body, nipples already hard. My arms were long enough to help remove her underwear, surprised at how curvy her body was, and she had a fantastic arse, giving that a good squeeze once she was naked before me.

Lowering her to the bed, there was only one thing I was going to do first. Tease the fuck out of her. Her skin was different to mine. It wasn’t exactly scaly, but it wasn’t as smooth as human or quarian skin, from what I found with Tali anyway. Not to say it wasn’t a pleasant experience, it was just a little difference. But I learned quickly that asari had the same, perhaps even more erogenous zones than a human, running my hands and tongue all over her body, completely ignoring her sex, enjoying the gasps and moans when I found something new that provoked a good reaction.

Sitting back on my knees for just a moment, I couldn’t help but just gaze down at her, our eyes locking for a moment. She seemed to grow shy for a moment until she realised I was simply showing my appreciation. “Damn, shouldn’t have waited so bloody long,” I muttered. Leaning down to kiss her, I started to gently fondle her pussy, earning a whimper as I kissed her before I broke the kiss. “And I’m definitely going to taste you now.”

That earned nothing but a smile at first. “Make me cum, Shepard,” she whispered.

I did, quite quickly to be honest, and far quicker than I expected. I think she entered my bedroom horny, and everything I’d done previously certainly helped, but I only ate her out for around five minutes before I had her writhing on the bed, her hand grabbing my head to keep it in place, almost demanding I lick her ‘Just there, don’t stop’ until she finally climaxed. If she thought I was going to stop after just one, she was definitely in for a surprise, particularly after I slid a couple of fingers inside her to find that spot that humans and quarians had, so I figured asari might have something similar.

She did, and her next orgasm was even better. Took a few more minutes as I teased her again, bringing her to the brink before relaxing, earning at least two groans of frustration but also some giggles as she knew what I was doing. I had a feeling she’d been intimate with Shiala. I didn’t know the truth yet, and I might ask later, but she didn’t seem surprised by at least a few things I was doing. Though I still had my underwear on though I did wonder if she’d seen a real cock before.

After I’d made her cum a second time, she asked me to stop for a moment, kissing her up her body before I just rested on my forearms, caressing her face. Her blue eyes shone brightly, her cheeks slightly flushed, lips parted as she breathed deeply. I thought she definitely had strong feelings for me, as Benezia told me.

Pushing me up, she had me sit on my knees to see the tent in my underwear. Gesturing, she had me stand up on the bed, grabbing the band and gently pulling them down, freeing my cock. She gasped at its appearance, helping me kick off my underwear, before I sat back down on my knees. “Oh, I thought…”

“Don’t worry about it,” I stated, interrupting her, “Though I like a blowjob as much as the next man, I prefer what we’re going to do next, if that’s what…”

“I want you to fuck me, Shepard.” I raised my eyebrows at the use of that term. She simply met my eyes. “It’s not my first time. I wanted… I’ve been with Shiala.”

“I figured,” I stated, with a grin.

She smiled shyly again. “Though I wanted my first time to be with you, I didn’t know if it would ever happen. Shiala and I have history. She’s always been a good friend, despite recent history, and so… well… You know things happen.” She gently grasped my cock. “You will be the first cock I’ve ever had inside me though. I’ve used sex toys before so let’s just say you’ll be the first real cock inside me.” I couldn’t help chuckle at her honesty. “Trust me, Shepard, I left behind a couple of good toys on Therum. Got me through some very lonely nights.” She kissed me before adding, “But I think having a real one inside me will be so much better. And you’ll cum inside me at the end too.”

She did make me cry out as she lay down and pulled me with her, kissing me as I slid inside her far easier than I imagined, though she was tight. Very tight, groaning into her mouth as I slowly buried my cock inside her. She shuffled as I did, getting comfortable, before she broke the kiss and smirked. “Fuck me, Commander!” she demanded.

So that’s what I did. Liara T’Soni was fucked by Commander Shepard for the next few minutes. I was never going to last long. I’d thought about fucking her within the first few days of meeting her. I’d always found her cute, and intelligence was always a turned on, but she came across as rather innocent, perhaps even a little naïve at times. I think I may have been a little wrong on those latter opinions.

“Goddess, your cock is magnificent, Shepard,” she moaned as I lifted her arse off the bed slightly, changing the angle of my thrusts, really driving into her. She wanted to be fucked, I was going to give it to her.

I would have said something, but I was enjoying it far too much and anything I said would have just sounded corny. So I focused on trying not to orgasm too quickly but the noises I made, with plenty of cursing, would have told her what I was thinking and feeling.

“Are you going to cum in my pussy, Shepard?” she asked so innocently, I nearly came there and then.

“Soon,” I grunted, kissing her hard for a moment before resting my forehead against hers, meeting her eyes.

“Never had someone cum in me before, Shepard. You’ll be the first human to ever do so.”

“I consider it an honour, doctor,” I managed to say.

Feeling her legs move, her heels now resting on my lower back, I pounded her even hard, her fingers digging into my back as she pretty much was now just holding on. “Cum in me!” she cried. That pretty much did it for me as I groaned loudly, swore a couple of times, then buried my cock as I felt myself erupt inside her. I kept thrusting until I was simply too empty and my mind too frazzled to continue, slowly coming to a stop and relaxing, Liara keeping her legs and arms around me, feeling her kiss me softly on the cheek.

Resting on my forearms, I sucked in a few deep breaths before I leaned up so I could look at her. The smile on her face was definitely one of triumph. “About time you fucked me, Shepard,” she said, her voice wavering slightly, lower lip definitely trembling.

“Better late than never,” I retorted, though somewhat sheepishly, laying a soft kiss on her lips.

She did learn sex was messy, at least between a man and a woman after he’d cum, but that didn’t stop her giving me around ten minutes to recover before she pushed me onto my back and hopped on. “Use to ride my sex toys like this,” she stated, grabbing my hands to balance herself as she slowly established a rhythm, “Much better when the cock is attached to a body.”

Moving my legs, she definitely liked the new angle, moaning loudly as she remained in that position for a little while before leaning forward, resting her hands to either side, giving me a kiss though she remained in control. I just watched her face, the pleasure easy to rest, running my hands down her back and sides, enjoying the feeling of her skin. “You are beautiful,” I whispered.

“Bet you say that to all your girls,” she retorted with a smirk.

“Well, I think I’ve definitely been blessed regarding some of my crew. Won’t lie.”

I eventually rested my hands on her arse, met her eyes, and received a nod. I think it was a race to see who would orgasm first. Whatever I was doing, it worked well, as she had to kiss me to stop the loud moan that escaped from deep within, feeling her pussy grip my cock almost like a vice as she started to climax. Breaking the kiss, resting her forehead against mine, she simply begged me to keep going. Like I was going to stop anyway, but that was only her first orgasm. She enjoyed a second one rather quickly, though that pretty much ended me, as while she was clenching me again, I drove into her harder and faster, Liara by this time practically resting against my body as I unloaded inside her again. Lying together in post-coital bliss, we could only lie there in silence as we both recovered. My cock was now practically useless, feeling it fall out of her, while she seemed incapable of any movement.

We eventually got up to clean, Liara joining me in the shower, where we showed more appreciation of each other’s bodies, before she ended up under the covers with me in bed. Wrapping an arm around her, she snuggled into me and it felt so normal already.

What she said next was a surprise though.

“You should be intimate with Shiala tomorrow night.”

“What?”

“Shepard, you do realise how she feels about you, right?” I nodded. “Well, you should be with her. I won’t be jealous. I already know you’ve been with many others. I understand you don’t do exclusivity.”

“You’re okay with that?”

“Of course, otherwise I wouldn’t be here right now. While I would like romance, a large part of me just wanted to be fucked by Commander Shepard. If it can happen again, I certainly wouldn’t say no.”

“Neither would I.”

“Good, but you should also be with Shiala. She definitely misses you in an intimate setting. It was part of the reason we ended up together. We both wanted you, couldn’t have you, so found something with each other to sate our appetites until we could.”

“What led you to my door tonight then?”

“Using the human term, I had to grab the bull by the horns. Once I walked in here, I had to take a moment as my courage failed me, but when you turned to look at me, you seemed to realise what I was here for. That gave me renewed confidence to see it through.”

“Well, I’m glad you did. Come to my bedroom, that is. There is one thing, though…”

“Oh… What is it?”

“Benezia wants to… you know… what we just did.”

That made her chuckle. “That comes as no surprise, Shepard. I’ve realised for a while now that she’s been attracted. If you wish to be with her too, I can certainly understand and certainly wouldn’t presume to tell you who you can and can’t be with.”

“You’ll be fine with me being with her?”

I felt her shrug. “Sure. We’re not in a relationship, Shepard. You’re free to fuck who you want.” I felt her look in my direction, glancing to meet her eyes. “Just don’t ask for any sort of mother daughter threesome or something. I love my mother but I won’t be doing anything like that.”

Walking out into the mess together the next morning, I was surprised at the lack of any reaction. Well, that’s a slight lie, watching Garrus hand Wrex a couple of credit chits, so I guess there was at least a bet or two. But Ashley nor Tali appeared jealous, while Benezia seemed to smile approvingly more than anything.

Figuring there was no point beating around the bush, I waited until the end of breakfast before speaking to Shiala, immediately inviting her to my room that evening. While surprised, there’s no doubt she was excited at the prospect, whispering a few rather rude things into my ear that had me thinking and perhaps even a little distracted most of the day.

Still, there was work to do, continuing our investigations into what we would find on Ilos, while the rest of my team focused on their day jobs. The crew was still as excited as ever about having escaped the Citadel, and while I thought about it and didn’t think we were being mutinous, I’m sure I would have a few questions to answer once we returned to the Citadel victorious.

Shiala wasted no time turning up in my quarters that night. From the time she closed the door to dragging me from my chair, she was already naked and it took all of thirty seconds for me to be naked, on my back, with her straddling my lap, cock already inside her. We fucked all night, that’s the easiest way to put it. I almost apologised for having ended our brief liaison but she just told me to shut up and enjoy the night together. So that’s what we did. No idea how long we fucked but the only reason we stopped is I’d enjoyed more orgasms than I could remember, and there does come a time that my cock just wouldn’t get hard again.

“Well, I think we got what we wanted out of our systems,” she murmured, spooned against me after we’d taken the required shower.

“Liara did suggest…”

“I understand why you stopped but… Well, I assume Liara told you about us.”

“She did.”

“We’re old friends and enjoying sex is just that, a physical release. We’re not in love or anything, but it’s still a lot of fun making each other cum.” She did turn back for a moment. “You can have us together, if you want.”

“Would she be okay with that?” Shiala just laughed, so that answer my question. “One thing you should know…”

“Benezia,” she stated somewhat bluntly, “Liara told me already. I don’t care who else you fuck, Shepard. Just don’t need to hear the details. As long as this happens again.”

I kissed her cheek and assured her it would.

Walking out into the mess the next morning, Liara met our eyes and simply smiled, while I think Benezia was slightly surprised I fucked her daughter one night then Shiala the very next. Garrus handed Wrex more credit chits, while Ashley asked bluntly, “When’s my turn, Shepard?” I could only chuckle as a few of the crew had a laugh amongst themselves at the same time.

“Depends on how much longer it takes to get to Ilos,” I replied once I was sat down.

“Oh, and why not tonight?” she asked, her tone all sweet and nice.

“I have plans.”

“With who?”

“Someone else.”

Liara and Shiala already knew. I figured it might not take her too long to figure out who. It couldn’t be Tali, not without preparation. While Chakwas was perhaps interested, we remained platonic friends only, and perhaps for the best. The regular crew women were almost far too in awe of my presence to even think about approaching me for anything. Sure, there were one or two rather attractive women around but I certainly wouldn’t want to do anything untoward, and believed they’d still consider it fraternisation anyway. At least Ashley had moved past that now, thinking I was a Spectre of the Council rather than a Commander of the Alliance Navy.

Chatting with Joker later than day while at the galaxy map, he checked the route and we guess that Ilos was perhaps only one night, maybe two more nights away. That was good news, at least, as all of us were eager to get off the ship and find Saren. Hopefully he was still on Ilos and we could finally catch the bastard. I knew we’d probably have to kill him as he wouldn’t allow himself to be caught. Wrex, Ashley and Garrus wanted to kill him with no thoughts of capture. Liara and Shiala preferred capture if possible, simply to interrogate him for information. I wasn’t sure what Benezia wanted, perhaps not trusting herself around him. Tali didn’t really have an opinion.

I let the crew know that night what Joker and I had discussed. There was relief that our objective was closer than anticipated, amazed we hadn’t attracted the attention of the numerous pirate bands that infected the Terminus Systems. Then again, we were probably flying through certain systems that had probably been uninhabited for centuries, if not since the last Reaper invasion. I wasn’t going to complain, though. Even the slightest delay on our journey to Ilos could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

After dinner, I headed to my office for some more busywork. I was hoping to hear from Anderson, but there was radio silence from the Citadel. I received a short message from Admiral Hackett, no doubt aware of what happened. He simply wished us good hunting, so it was nice to hear that at least part of the Alliance Navy was on board with what I was doing. After an hour or so, I messaged Benezia, inviting her to my room for a drink.

She appeared a few minutes later, dressed in a rather figure hugging black dress, that flowed to the floor. She seemed to be barefoot, at least, standing shorter than normal, making little noise as she approached the empty chair opposite me. Opening the small fridge, she smiled at the bottle of wine I offered her. “Well, you do have some taste it seems, Shepard.”

“I’m actually not much of a drinker. Shiala and Liara didn’t seem all that interested in sharing a glass or two before joining me in bed. I figured…”

Handing her the glass, she simply smiled as I poured her a glass before doing the same for myself. “What should we toast, Shepard?”

“I can think of a few things but what do you hope for, Benezia?”

She looked away for a moment before returning her eyes to mine. “Redemption, Shepard. And forgiveness.”

Benezia may never have been with a human before but she was probably the greatest lover I’d had in my life up until then. I guess when you have centuries of experience, it may make up for any inexperience you have otherwise regarding certain things. All I know is that she was eager, very eager, to enjoy my cock in more ways than one. She was practically insistent that she blow me, and the sight of her on her knees, my cock buried in her mouth, her eyes wide with lust and desire, was something I simply didn’t expected. She wasn’t sure about swallowing but was happy enough for me to blast on her face, then asked me to take a photo. Asking why, she told me not to worry for now.

After we’d cleaned her face, I made sure to return the favour, and it’s always nice to receive a compliment from an asari of advanced age at how talented you are with your tongue and fingers. She was certainly turned on and eager to cum, but we both enjoyed the fact I teased her relentlessly. Once I made her cum the first time, though, her next orgasms were like a crescendo, arriving again and again rather quickly. I thought I’d wear her out doing that, but she just begged me to keep going before she asked to stop, though only so I could slide my cock inside her.

I fucked Liara. I fucked Shiala. And I definitely _fucked_ Benezia. I don’t think I’d ever received more compliments about the size of my cock, how good it felt inside her, how good I was at fucking her, than I did that night. Maybe she was just caught up in the moment, and I could only wax lyrical at how tight and wet she was. That actually made her blush the first time I told her. “Shame Liara isn’t interested in a mother daughter threesome,” I muttered after I came in her the first time.

“Oh, that would interest you?” she wondered, a sly grin on her face.

“Well, you certainly share some similarities. Plus, I think a lot of men share the fantasy. Though I guess it could get a little weird.”

“Not if the focus is on you, Shepard.”

“Well, let’s just file that away as something that might happen in the future.”

Having Benezia on her elbows and knees later was something else entirely, particularly as I was leaning over, whispering all sorts of dirty things into her ear as I fucked her. She was loving every second of it, asking herself why she hadn’t got herself a human as soon as we appeared. “Maybe I should fuck your arse tonight too,” I grunted into her ear.

“That’s virgin territory,” she moaned back.

“No-one has been there? Waste of a fantastic arse, Benezia.”

“Play your cards right, Shepard, and you can definitely have it too.”

She proved rather flexible, eager to please, and very open minded that evening. She didn’t quite wear me out as much as Shiala, who had proven insatiable from the moment she walked into my bedroom to the moment we fell asleep, but there was no doubt Benezia was definitely make up for any lost time, admitting she’d been attracted to me very early on but had obviously been unsure as to my reaction. Lying against me as she admitted that, I simply made her cum with my fingers as I whispered into her ear, assuring her I had found her beautiful from the same moment.

I thought the reaction would have been far more negative than it was when we walked out together the next morning, Benezia making me chuckle by wearing one of my shirts, long enough to cover her arse, walking out with bare legs and feet. She definitely seemed like a new woman, asari, whatever, enough that Liara had to make a comment. “I’ve never see you look so… carefree, mother.”

Taking a seat opposite her daughter, Benezia simply smiled. “I am now free, Liara. My life as I knew it before Saren is likely at an end. Perhaps I will spend more time in human space.” She looked around the room. “You certainly are very different to us in many ways.”

“How well did you fuck her last night, Shepard?” Ashley joked.

I just smiled and carried on eating breakfast. The immediate change in Benezia was profound though perhaps not surprising. Having spent a long time on the _Normandy_ by now, most of the crew had warmed to her, at least a little bit. The fact her relationship with Liara was now better also helped. Shiala was a lost cause but I think Benezia understood why and didn’t pursue the matter.

Any idea that I’d enjoy another night with someone else, or perhaps that threesome Shiala suggested, ended when Joker informed me later that morning the _Normandy_ was making better progress than expected, and that the Mu Relay would be reached within that day. Now was the time for the crew to prepare for what would be perhaps the hardest so far.

It was late afternoon as we made our approach to Ilos. Joker had got us through the relay itself when I was summoned to the bridge. The CIC was calm as I walked through, receiving more than one salute as I strode forward. Pressly handed me a datapad with what we knew about Ilos as I stood behind Joker. “We’ve got company, Commander.”

“Geth?” He nodded. “They noticed us yet?”

“Stealth systems are engaged. Unless we get close enough for a visual, they won’t have any idea we’re here.”

“Got something else, Commander,” Pressly reported, “Picking up some strange readings from the planet’s surface.”

“Very well. Joker, take us down. Lock in on the coordinates.”

Pressly shook his head. “Negative on that, Commander. The nearest landing zone is two clicks away.”

There were instant murmurs of dissatisfaction. “We’ll never make it on time by foot,” Ashley stated, “Get us something closer!”

“There is nowhere closer!” Pressly retorted, “I’ve looked!”

“Drop us in the Mako,” I suggested.

“You need at least a hundred metres of open terrain to pull off a drop like that. The most I can find near Saren is twenty!”

The CIC and cockpit descended into chaos and arguments as everyone discussed the pros and cons of such a move. I already knew the response but simply thought about the chances. I figured landing two clicks away, while the safer option, would lead us exposed if an army of geth now sat on Ilos. We needed to land as close as possible. I whistled for silence, everyone going quiet immediately. “Joker?”

He knew what I was asking. “I can do it, Commander.”

Turning back, I ordered everyone downstairs to prepare and board the Mako, ordering Joker to drop us right on the head of that turian bastard. That made him chuckle, assuring me he’d do his best to comply with that order.

I would be taking the entire team along this time, no-one being left behind as I was going to need everyone to assist to take down Saren and all his geth. I’d even considered Benezia, having a brief chat with her before boarding the Mako. She was honest enough to not trust herself near Saren but offered to help out on the _Normandy_. Pressly didn’t mind, though wasn’t sure what she could so. She simply wished me luck, giving me a rather nice kiss, before I joined the rest. It was enough for even Liara to joke about it as we waited for the signal to drop.

Joker earned himself a medal as he dropped us on a pinhead, leaving me just enough space to engage the brakes and stop of smashing into a stone wall. And we missed by Saren by only moments. The bastard managed to lock the massive stone door, so that meant getting out on foot.

The geth were waiting, no doubt hoping to ambush us. With all the talent I now had at my disposal, all the tricks we’d learned, we may not have had numbers, but we definitely had power. Liara and Shiala mixed up their biotics. Wrex was a battering ram, I think trying to outdo me. Tali caused havoc with her tech attacks. Ashley and I simply pulled the geth into chokepoints before laying waste. Garrus disappeared and was soon picking off geth at will.

The geth had regular troops, those armed with rocket launchers, the sneaky bastards that could snipe us from distance, the quick, leaping around bastards, and also a few Armatures. Tali was magnificent during all of this, particularly when she could hack them in such a way that the geth started fighting each other. The place where we had landed was a maze, and Liara talked to herself about this being such a treasure trove and wanting to return. I thought that was a bloody good idea.

We ended up running into all manner of geth ‘monsters’ as I liked to call them. Those big fuckers that took longer to take down. There were the Primes and Juggernauts we’d seen more than once, and a few Destroyers as well. They waited at particular points, knowing we’d be heading that way to chase down Saren. Tali managed to hack and turn some Armatures against them, though we couldn’t use them for long before they turned against us.

All of us took a lick or two during all of this. Wrex needed medi-gel more than once on a couple of particularly nasty wounds. That just pissed him off even more than he already was. Ashley almost had her head taken clean off by a rocket, saved only by quick thinking from Shiala. Tali suffered a suit breach, that required us to stop for a few minutes while she cleaned and sealed the wound before doing the same to her suit. She assured me that she’d be fine the rest of the battle but she’d need to see Chakwas in the end. Even I was left scratched by one or two explosions too close for comfort.

I found a hologram that sent a chill down my spine. A final warning from the Reapers. No-one else could understand it except Shiala, noticing she turned a paler shade of blue at the voice. It was garbled, no doubt damaged by the geth, but the warning was clear. Even I felt a shudder at the final words. ‘Cannot be stopped’. But the rest was simply too damaged to really understand.

Heading back to the Mako, the way ahead was now open, all of us boarding up and heading into the bunker. What we found was simply astounding. The bunker built was the likely last refuge of the Protheans, or that’s what Liara surmised. She also figured out that many of the things on the walls around us were stasis pods. All of them appeared inactive, or that’s what our sensors told us.

A few geth also waited inside the bunker, taking out those with rockets from a distance, running over any others who were stupid enough to get in the way. I drove on until we reached a barrier, and Liara figured out quickly that it probably wasn’t one left behind by Saren.

Clambering out of the Mako, we found a doorway that led us towards another elevator, descending until we ended up on a platform, surrounded by more inactive stasis pods but also vegetation that had grown during the intervening fifty thousand years. And it’s also where we found a working Prothean VI, introducing itself as Vigil.

To say Liara was excited was an understatement. But the information Vigil provided made for grim listening. Saren had been through recently and Vigil confirmed the indoctrination theory. Vigil also confirmed the Reaper hypothesis and many other theories Liara and others had been working on. The Citadel was the heart of galactic civilisation for a reason. It was a trap, an enormous mass relay that linked to dark space, and it was through there that the Reapers would arrive. The way it all worked was that the Keepers dotted around the Citadel were ‘agents’ of the Reapers, keeping it running, allowing us to use the Citadel without discovering its major secrets.

Liara did ask plenty of questions regarding Prothean civilisation and Reaper motivations, and while Vigil could provide the answers, one of his last replies spoke volumes. “In the end, what does any of this matter? Your survival depends on stopping them, not in understanding them.”

Good enough for me, far as I was concerned. “How do I stop them?” I asked.

“The Conduit is the key. Before the Reapers attacked, we Protheans were on the cusp of unlocking the mysteries behind mass relay technology. Ilos was a top secret facility. Here, researchers worked to create a small scale version of a mass relay. One that linked directly to the Citadel: the hub of the relay network.”

Through little more than blind luck, Ilos was spared destruction during the initial Repair invasion, and as records of the laboratory were lost, Ilos isolated itself, effectively ‘going dark’, severing any contact with the outside world. While the Prothean Empire was exterminated, Ilos remained intact. But the Reapers were methodical, and it took centuries before the Reapers retreated to dark space. By then, very few scientists remained to keep rebuild Prothean numbers. Those that remaining took one way journey to the Citadel to prevent the next invasion. The Keepers were the key to everything. Changing the signal sent by the Reapers, they had prevented them beginning our very own annihilation.

“There is a data file in my console. Take a copy when you go. When you reach the Citadel’s master control unit, upload it to the station. It will corrupt the Citadel’s security protocols and give you temporary control over the station. It might give you a chance against Sovereign.”

Thanking Vigil, I ordered everyone to leave immediately. Liara pleaded with me for us to remain and ask questions, so all I could do was promise that we would return one day so she could carry on her research. It was the best I could do. Saren had a head start, and the longer we dithered, the further ahead he would get. She understood, at least.

Hopping back into the Mako, the barrier had disappeared, and I floored it. We ended up descending, following the same bunker before we ended up in flowing water. The geth were waiting, no doubt ordered by Saren to stop us at almost any cost. It was only when we crested a rise that we finally understood what the Conduit was.

“The Protheans built a mass relay,” Liara whispered in awe.

“Guess that’s our way too. Ashley, radio the Normandy and tell them to get in contact with Admiral Hackett. Tell him that Saren and the geth have invaded the Citadel and that Sovereign is likely already on its way or already there too. They need to send a fleet immediately,” I ordered.

“Aye, sir.”

“Everyone else, buckle up. This is going to get tasty.”

I floored it straight away as the mass relay lay ahead. To either side were Geth Colossi. No idea how many. Four to six if I counted correctly. Tali reported hits to the machine but I didn’t care. All that mattered was getting to the relay before it closed. Garrus fired the main cannon and machine gun, though it was pointless. I wasn’t worried about taking them down. All that mattered was the relay.

With a hundred metres to go, our shields were nearly depleted. “Hold onto your hats, people!” I yelled as the Mako surged towards the relay and then, within a second, it felt like the entire machine was weightless and we felt ourselves pulled up.

Things then went a little black as there was an almighty crash and I definitely banged my head against something.


	18. Book 1, Chapter 18 - Showdown with Saren

The Mako was little more than a wreck. Two wheels were missing; another was barely hanging on. It was crumped front and rear. It was upside down. The engine didn’t fire. It was dead. After we’d all clambered out, Garrus took a moment to himself, resting a hand against what was now it’s roof, muttering to himself. Little wonder the turian took it hard considering he’d worked on it constantly.

Remarkably, despite some bumps and bruises, we’d all survived the journey. No-one except Garrus was sad to see the end of the Mako. I was a little disappointed as the machine proven a reliable workhorse, and to be honest, the thought of driving it around the Citadel had proven amusing.

After a check of weapons, armour, and ensuring my squad was okay, I ordered us to move. The destruction around us was already mind-boggling. We could hear plenty of gunfire and screaming in the distance. Finding an Avina VI nearby, I figured asking that a few questions might help. While it wasn’t full of information, it told us the Council had evacuated to the _Destiny Ascension _and that the Citadel was now in defensive mode, all systems engaged.

Soon as our conversation finished, we were set upon by geth units. And, to be honest, that was the story of our next couple of hours. In addition to geth, there were husks and also krogan, Wrex taking joy in taking on fellow battle-masters. Fires raged around us, sirens wailed and, if we looked up, we could see fleets moving into place, I assumed to stop Sovereign. We made it to the elevator leading up to the Council chambers after mowing down more geth, though our ascent was halted as the elevator ground to a halt.

So I ordered helmets on, mag boots switched on, and we’d do it the hard way. Stepping out onto the side of the elevator shaft wasn’t something I thought I’d be doing waking up earlier that morning. Then again, I hadn’t thought I’d cross space in a Mako through a Prothean built mass relay, so the day was full of surprises.

The geth were waiting again, and this is where my biotic colleagues came to the fore. Though we could still shoot them, Liara and Shiala took delight in simply lifting them and simply watching them float away into space. Quite a few geth went sailing over our heads harmlessly. Even the larger geth units, like the Primes and Juggernauts, were susceptible to simple biotic attacks such as those. The krogan were left for Wrex, our giant colleague effectively demanding they be left for him to deal with. Ashley and I assisted where required, but there was no doubt Wrex took great joy in pitting his wits against fellow warriors like himself.

Eventually I couldn’t be sure where we were exactly, simply moving ahead and battling whatever was in our way. The fact we kept meeting geth and krogan to kill suggested we were walking in the right direction, and the further we progressed, the heavier the enemy presence. None of us had a clue where Saren was, but I figured he was near the master control unit Vigil had told us about, and putting two and two together, it was no doubt somewhere in the Council chamber.

Shiala was the first one to go down. Not dead, but she was definitely injured and out of the fight. Looking across my team, I knew we couldn’t just leave her behind. I had no idea if the _Normandy_ was close. We’d tried our radios but all we received was static, Garrus suggesting Saren would have blocked our communication.

“I can keep up,” Shiala stated through gritted teeth. Liara slapped some medi-gel on the wound, but even that didn’t seem to work. Her commando leathers were torn up completely.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“I’m not being left behind, Shepard. And I’m not planning on dying just yet.”

“Okay… Keep in front of Garrus. If you fall behind him, you’ll have to fall back to a safer area. We can’t get spread out.”

She nodded, face grim. I knew she was in immense pain but now was not the time for empathy. The mission was the most important thing.

Turning and leading, the next few geth paid the price for wounding one of my colleagues. We were facing ever more enormous geth units, figuring Saren would have ordered these to remain behind to be one of the final lines of defence. A couple of geth dropships proved to be a real nuisance. Noticing inactive turrets nearby, I had Tali get those working, Ashley and I defending her as the little quarian got to work. She had two working in quick succession, the turrets firing enough to chase one of the dropships away. After getting all four working, the second dropship simply exploded under fire. The wreckage collapsed onto the side of the Citadel, wiping out many more geth units.

We ran into more turrets after moving only a couple of hundred metres, but these ones were not friendly, firing upon us immediately. A blast landed near Garrus, sending him end over end. I heard him cry out though added quickly he was fine, just slapping medi-gel onto a wound. He got to his feet but was clearly hobbling. I ordered him into cover before asking Tali to start hacking anything geth. As she got to work, the rest of us focused on the geth first before we’d worry about the turrets.

I’ll admit, this was probably the hardest part of any mission. Even Virmire hadn’t proven as death-defying. More than once, a shot from one of the turrets came too close for comfort, but once Tali somehow managed to hack one of them, we slowly whittled down geth numbers before she hacked a second turret, with our two hacked turrets firing at the others. Ours blew up first, but a few grenades finished off the others quickly.

We were now all exhausted, and in addition to Garrus and Shiala, all of us except Tali were now covering minor wounds, covered in dirt, blood and sweat. After taking down another pair of krogan, Wrex taking a major wound for his troubles, doing nothing more than fuelling his blood rage, which he thankfully managed to keep a lid on, a check of the schematics suggested a nearby hatch was our way into the Council chamber.

Slipping inside quietly, the level of destruction equalled that we’d seen on the Presidium below us. Fires raged as the sirens were almost deafening in the confined space. Making it to the courtyard, a few geth units seemed to be the last line of defence. We took those out as quickly and as quietly as possible before moving towards the podium I’d last stood on when the Council had tried and almost succeeded in grounding me.

Saren was busy doing something but seemed to sense our presence, immediately disappearing for a moment before dodging out of cover on that hover-board he’d been riding on Virmire, throwing a grenade in our direction. We split up as it exploded behind us.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t make it in time, Shepard.”

I wasn’t sure if he was being condescending, sarcastic or actually rather serious. I glanced around cover to see him standing rather still on his hover-board, pistol aimed in my direction. Remaining in cover, I looked around to see everyone was okay behind cover. Shiala met my eyes and I could see she was in agony. “You okay?” I mouthed. She grimaced but nodded. She was stronger than I could ever give her credit for. I found Garrus and knew him leaping into cover would have hurt. He met my eyes and simply nodded.

“Killing geth takes time, Saren. Shame you had such useless allies.”

“You’ve lost, you know that, don’t you? In a few minutes, Sovereign will have full control of all the Citadel’s systems. They relay will open. The Reapers will return.”

I chanced a peek. Surprisingly, he didn’t fire. He was now more metal than turian. He hadn’t looked completely turian the first time I’d seen him but the changes since Virmire were obvious. “I’m not done yet, Saren. Either get out of my way or be destroyed before I stop the Reapers.”

Glancing around, I noticed one or two get ready to move. Wrex stood but Saren fired quickly, forcing the krogan back down. He roared with disapproval. “Shepard,” he growled.

“Working on it,” I muttered. Chancing another peek, Saren was focused on me again.

“You survived our encounter on Virmire, Shepard. I’ll give you credit for that. But I’ve changed since them. Improved. Sovereign has upgraded me.” My laughter rang around the chamber. What an absolutely fucking idiot. I told him that as well. He didn’t approve, firing near my position, though all that made me do was crouch a little smaller, hearing mass effect rounds whistle past my ear. “In a way, I suppose I should thank you, Shepard. After Virmire, I could stop thinking about what you said. About Sovereign manipulating me. About indoctrination. And, I’ll admit, the doubts began to eat away at me. Yet Sovereign sensed my hesitation. I was implanted to strengthen my resolve. And now my doubts are gone. I believe in Sovereign completely. I understand that the Reapers need organics. Join us, and Sovereign will find a place for you, too.”

“Vigil spoke of this,” Liara hissed quietly, “Those who were indoctrinated were used during the slaughter, then left to die afterwards.” I met her eyes and nodded. I wasn’t going to listen to his devil for much longer anyway.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Saren, how can you not see that with the implants you’re simply a slave to Sovereign? You’re being controlled by the Reapers. You don’t have any choice.”

“No, no, no, Shepard. You’re once again failing to understand. The relationship is symbiotic. Organic and machine intertwined, a union of flesh and steel. The strength of both, the weaknesses of neither. I am a vision of the future, Shepard. The evolution of all organic life. This is our destiny. Join Sovereign and experience a true rebirth.”

I glanced at Liara. “Vigil?” I mouthed. She nodded immediately. Might as well let him know the full truth. “We spoke to Vigil on Ilos too, Saren. Learned a few home truths that perhaps Sovereign hasn’t told you about. The Reapers don’t just use organics; they indoctrinate them to further their cause. They devour everything that makes us… us, then discard us like tomorrows garbage. As soon as their conquest is complete, you’ll be case aside. A mindless husk, left to wither and die like all those you turned your back on.”

“I had no choice!” Saren cried, and I knew my words were getting to him, “You saw the visions, Shepard. Yet I saw them much earlier than you, and I’ve lived with it every day since. But you saw what happened to the Protheans, and think of how much stronger they were than us. It is either surrender or death, Shepard. There are no other options.”

“You forgot the third option, Saren. We fight. We fight until we do die, or until we win. Yet you took the cowards way out. You turned your back on the galaxy, your people, the Council, the Spectres. You surrendered before the fight had even begun. You quit before you’d even gained a sweat. You’ll go down in history as nothing but a traitor and a fucking coward, Saren. So fuck you. Fuck the Reapers. And fuck anyone who gets in my way.”

I stood up out of cover and stepped forward, rifle hanging to my side. I met his eyes and somehow, I don’t know how, but my words were working. I could see the conflict in him. Sovereign was powerful, but to his credit, Saren was fighting whatever was in his mind. He collapsed to his knees as he cried out in pain. He met my eyes again and, for the first time, they were clear. Like meeting the eyes of my turian friend, Garrus Vakarian. “Shepard… He’s too powerful…” he moaned, holding his head in his hands.

I stepped forward, realising I was on the verge of ending it. “You know what to do, Saren. Make your last act heroic. I’ve read your file. Sure, you’ve done some nasty shit in your life, but you’ve also done what was right numerous times. What will the cost be this time? One life? Or the trillions of innocents?”

He cried out again, pain no doubt surging through his body. It was obvious Sovereign was nearly in full control of the turian, just like Benezia had been under the control of him and Sovereign. But there was a small window into his mind, just enough that was alive enough to communicate with me. He looked up, his eyes still clear. Meeting mine, he nodded. I took the pistol from my holster and stepped forward, handing it to him. “You know what to do, Saren. I’ll ensure everyone knows what you did at this moment. But…”

“I know, Shepard. But thank you.”

“You’re still a bastard though.”

The bark of a laugh reminded me of Garrus. Completely turian. “You were a worthy opponent, Shepard.” He met my eyes. “And I am sincere. At this moment, I die free.” And with those words, he put the pistol to his chin and blew his brains out. I watched the blue blood spatter before his body collapsed to the bottom of the hover-board, which then tipped and dropped his body far below us.

Walking to the same master control unit he’d been working at, I uploaded the data file and took control of all systems. The first thing to do was unblock communication and open the arms of the Citadel. I knew Sovereign was close by, but after my last communication with the _Normandy_, I was confident Joker would now surely be close enough to have joined up with an Alliance fleet.

Opening the communications channel, we heard a mayday from the _Destiny Ascension._ They had the Council on board, but they were also in trouble. Their engines were dead. Shields were failing. They were easy prey for the geth that hovered nearby.

“_Normandy to Citadel. Normandy to the Citadel. Please tell me that’s you, Commander.”_

“Who else would it be, Joker?”

_“We caught that distress call, Commander. I’m sitting here in the Adura sector with the entire Arcturus fleet. We can save the Ascension. Just unlock the relays around the Citadel and we’ll send the cavalry in!”_

Everyone gave an opinion. Wrex suggested sacrificing the Council. Surprisingly, Garrus agreed, though the pragmatic course would be to save the entire fleet for Sovereign. Liara and a now flagging Shiala agreed on saving the Council. Ashley actually agreed, seeing the bigger picture if we let them die. Tali admitted she didn’t care about the Council but suggested saving them would be politically expedient. I almost smirked.

I glanced over my team. “There are ten thousand souls on the Destiny Ascension, not just the lives of the three councillors. We can save the ship while keeping enough in reserve to take down Sovereign. And Tali is right. Politically, it will be a good move for humanity. But it’s also the right thing to do.”

“It’s your show, Shepard,” Wrex muttered. He probably didn’t really care, but I knew would have had no love for the Council. Garrus agreed, admitting it was probably the right but not most pragmatic course. He was thinking like a turian. Victory, whatever the cost. I could see his point, most of the time, but this time, doing the right thing was best.

“Joker, this is Commander Shepard. Send word out. Save the Destiny Ascension.”

_“Aye-aye, Commander. We will be through the relay in two minutes.”_

“Hope we get thanks for this, Commander,” Ashley muttered. I knew what she meant, meeting her eye and nodding.

We were now bystanders, comm lines opened as we could hear the arrival of the fleet. “_Alliance ships move in. Save the Destiny Ascension!”_

Hackett knew as well as I did that a lot of men and women were going to die saving it. But I knew, in my heart, it was the right thing. Part of me knew that letting the ship burn was the best option. But ten thousand people were on that ship. And the _Destiny Ascension_ itself was a magnificent craft. Keeping the ship intact was a smart move.

_“Commander, we’re picking up reinforcements!”_

_“It’s the Alliance! Thank the Goddess!”_

Over the radios, we could hear the fight. There was no doubt the Alliance paid a heavy price to save the ship. But the geth took a battering in addition. It was a short, sharp fight, lasting no more than half an hour. We heard more than one mayday during that time, and I knew we’d lost ships. Ashley met my eyes more than once. At heart, she knew I’d made the right call, but hearing our fellow men and women in uniform dying… Even the hardest of hearts would not always understand.

_“Destiny Ascension, you are all clear. Repeat, you are all clear. Withdraw to the rallying point, you will have cover.”_

_“Thank you, Alliance. Thank you, Commander Shepard. We will withdraw. May the Goddess be with you.”_ I recognised the voice immediately. Councillor Tevos. I now had an ally on the Council. In fact, I probably had three simply because I’d saved them.

“_The Citadel’s opening. All ships, this is a direct order from Admiral Hackett. Move in! Concentrate on Sovereign!”_

Even in the tower where we were, with Sovereign sat above us, we could actually hear the fight outside. We heard more than one radio call, of people screaming, of people dying. I hung my head, wondering if I’d made the right choice. I felt a hand on both shoulders, glancing to see Ashley to one side, Liara to the other. I wondered if my choice had just cost us victory.

Looking down, that’s when I noticed Saren lying there. “Wrex, Garrus, Ashley. Make sure he’s dead.” I didn’t hear anything until a couple of gunshots echoed around the chamber.

“Yeah, he’s dead now,” Wrex grumbled. I had no doubt he took pleasure in putting a few bullets in the body of the turian.

Then something happened. The entire chamber seemed to shake. Looking down, the body of Saren seemed to transform, glowing red electrical currents sweeping through his body. Before I could move nor say anything, the platform I was standing on gave way, sending me arse over head onto the ground below. I managed to regain my footing quickly, and the thing that stood before me was no longer Saren. The turian was now well and truly dead. Whatever stood before me… was more machine than organic.

“I am Sovereign! And this station is mine!”

“Like hell it is!” I roared, opening up immediately as the body of Saren or whatever it was leapt out of the way faster than imagined. Everyone was quickly into cover, those above joining us where we were. “Kill this fucking thing!”

Biotics, tech attacks, bullets. Everything opened up. But Sovereign, as it was clearly now directing Saren, the turian no longer in control, was incredibly strong. Tali went down first, hearing Ashley cry out. I ignored everything, my eyes and my rifle aimed only for the enemy. Garrus went down again, this time taking a shot into his chest. He yelled out he was okay, but was out of the fight. Our numbers were dwindling, but we somehow, we were also gaining the upper hand. My two biotic colleagues worked wonders as Wrex got in close, almost hand to hand combat with the body of the turian.

“Fuck you, turian fucking cunt,” Wrex roared. I almost laughed in appreciation at the use of his curses. Learned from me, obviously.

_“Sovereign’s too strong! We have to pull back!”_

_“Negative! This is our only chance!”_ I didn’t believe, but thank god for Admiral Hackett. “_Take that monster down, no matter the cost!”_

Then the body of Sovereign seemed to change again. “Liara!”

“Shepard?!”

“Is it possible Sovereign has somehow transferred itself into Saren?”

I glanced to see her look. More red electrical current. “Yes, Shepard. No doubt Sovereign believes defeating us here will mean victory. Beat us, it can open the relays, then the cycle will begin.”

“Well, I think killing it here and now would be best, right?”

We stepped out of cover, even those of us injured, and we simply laid waste to it. It was clearly no longer Saren. It was an indoctrinated monster. It might have had speed. It might have had power, as whatever it fired in our direction, I certainly didn’t want to be shot by it. But we had the numbers, and we were pretty pissed off. And we were definitely not going to let the cunt win.

It took a long time. We all took wounds. My left shoulder was left bleeding, almost useless. I took another shot in the leg. But Sovereign, or whatever it was, didn’t win. We did. I had the pleasure of taking the last shot as the body of Saren hit the ground, limping forward to put a bullet into its head again. This time, it didn’t get up. This time, the body seemed to just disappear into nothing. Saren or Sovereign, neither seemed to exist.

We could hear a loud screech above us, though we could see little of the outside, but surely if we’d eliminated Saren and Sovereign in here, we now…

_“It’s shields are down! Now’s our chance!”_

Trust Joker to be in the thick of the action! And that meant the _Normandy_ was still alive.

_“Hit it with everything we’ve got!”_ Hackett ordered.

“_Hard on my flank. We’re going in!_” Joker reported.

We never heard all the firepower that was sent in the direction of Sovereign, nor the final shot that killed the Reaper, once and for all. All we knew is that it was destroyed when its parts were spread across the Citadel, including a giant piece of one of its arms that went fired in the direction of where we all were. I heard the breaking of glass, turning back and simply ordering everyone to go before I looked up. If I was going to die, then it would be a good death. The Council was saved. The Reapers had been stopped.

And I would be with Annie once again.

* * *

I wasn’t dead. Somehow, I’m still not sure how, we all survived. The remnants of Sovereign near enough killed the lot of us, only blind luck saving us in the end. I staggered out of the ruins, bloodied, battered, bruised. Shiala was in dire need of medical attention, C-Sec finally showing up, whisking her, Tali and Garrus off straight away for attention. The rest had figured I was dead, Liara unable to hide her emotion, while even Wrex could only bellow with laughter before I found myself hugged nearly to death.

We all ended up being taken to hospital. My left arm was hanging on by a thread, only medi-gel numbing the pain. Anderson had shown up in the immediate aftermath, clearing a path for us so we could be taken for treatment. We could only look around at the five arms and see the utter destruction. No matter what, the galaxy had changed forever.

It took a week for the madness to die down. I kept abreast of events by watching the news. The Council and _Destiny Ascension_ made a triumphant return to the Citadel. I couldn’t help smile when they were quick in their praise of the Alliance. They admitted that perhaps it was time to recognise all the contributions we had made since our arrival. We didn’t just have strength on our side, we’d proven ready and willing to sacrifice ourselves for the greater good. Adding that we’d stopped a threat that would have ended our existence certainly helped.

Two weeks after the Battle of the Citadel, as that is what it would be known, there was a ceremony. Not in the Council chambers, still to be reconstructed, but in front of the masses. It was there that humanity found itself accepted as the fourth member of the Citadel Council. And, for some reason, they wanted my input as to who the Council member of humanity would be.

I could have elected Captain Anderson as a middle finger to Ambassador Udina, but I knew Anderson needed to be back out in the fight, not stuck in an office on the Citadel. But like hell I was going to nominate Udina after his shenanigans prior to Ilos. So I suggested the Alliance parliament should nominate a Council member. That made the three of them agreeable, noticing I chose probably the best course of action.

“And what do you plan on doing, Commander?” Tevos asked.

“This isn’t over, councillors. Sovereign was simply the vanguard. Saren and Sovereign might be defeated, but the Reapers are still out there in dark space, ready to arrive. There is still work to do, and if the Reapers think I’ll forget about them, they’re going to learn quickly that I have a long memory. I suggest, to all of you, that we prepare for their arrival. This is just the beginning…”

Of course, I should have known better. But that is a story for another time.

Instead, I returned to the _Normandy_ as a hero. Awards were handed out left, right and centre. Joker begrudgingly accepted one of the highest awards given by the Alliance. Chief Ashley Williams was finally given a promotion and a possible route towards becoming an officer. Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko was posthumously awarded numerous medals, not just by the Alliance, but by the salarians, turians and asari. And I found myself with at least a half a dozen new medals on my chest at the same time.

But with the battle over, I thought some would have moved on to different things. But even Wrex decided they’d hang around for the time being. Tali could have headed back, but aware of the relationship with Ashley, she would not return for the foreseeable future. As for Benezia, admitting that she was probably safer with me than anywhere else, she would remain by my side and with her daughter. Now that Saren and Sovereign were dead, she felt the lingering effects of indoctrination wearing off somewhat. She still struggled at times, but she felt her mind freeing itself every day.

And, of course, there was the celebration. The Citadel was still a mess. Thousands had died, not just on the station, but the Alliance had taken losses. But we’d still managed to defeat an incredible enemy. Once I was out of hospital, I found myself propositioned constantly. I was fairly sure even Councillor Tevos was flirting with me at one stage. Emily Wong grabbed me for an interview, and that night, we fucked like never before. How she didn’t end up pregnant after that night, despite all the precaution she took, I’ll never know. It must have lasted at least twelve hours, sending her to work the next morning exhausted and very sore, watching her hobble towards the elevator of her apartment building as I stood naked in the doorway.

Gianna took a shuttle to the Citadel so we could meet up. There is nothing like having your cock sucked by a woman you feel great affection for as you look out over the Presidium. After she took a load in her mouth, we made love or fucked for three days solid. She was the first woman since Annie to say she loved me. Her feelings were not a surprise. I tried to say them back. I really did like her. I mean, I liked her perhaps more than most of the women I’d been with. But something held me back. Somehow, she understood. I’d probably never understand her really. But she loved me, and we enjoyed every second we were together. When she finally had to return to Noveria, her tears were no surprise before she hugged me tightly. I promised her I would see her again soon.

Then there the women on the _Normandy_. Ashley wasted no time getting her hands on me. We _fucked_. We fucked in my bedroom. We fucked down in the loading bay. I had her naked on the bench as I fucked her. We fucked in the bathroom. We fucked around the Citadel. Tali was sometimes involved when possible, but she was understanding too, knowing Ashley wanted my cock, and sometimes, she wanted it badly. I was also intimate with Tali, but that did take time and preparation, but she also took some deep dicking, sometimes alone, sometimes with Ashley present. Occasionally, they’d put on a show for me, and I enjoyed watching them eat each other out. They were certainly very good at it.

Tali surprised me by stating she would remain with me until the Reaper threat was at an end. That didn’t only put a smile on my face. Ashley was delighted. The two were now very much in love, and I’ll admit, slightly surprised that Ashley was now smitten and deeply in love with a non-human. She hadn’t been anything but honest originally, understanding why she was hesitant about inviting non-humans on board originally, but I don’t think anyone would have expected the relationship that had blossomed between the pair. Neither had shown any sort of inclination towards same sex relationships but… well, there we have it. They couldn’t be physically intimate all the time, but they spent nearly every moment when not working together. It was incredibly cute to watch at times, particularly as Ashley was an Alliance soldier at her core, but watching her drop those barriers with Tali…

But if I enjoyed time with the above, Shiala and Liara was something else entirely. Once we were all out of hospital, I enjoyed more than one threesome with the pair. In fact, I think they had discussed and agreed that I would only ever enjoy them together. I licked, ate and fucked so much asari pussy, it would have made my head spin. They loved nothing more than sitting on their knees, side by side, sucking my cock. They’d happily put on shows for me, watching them eat each other out. Both of them went so far as to want me in their arse. Shiala was eager for it. Liara was more hesitant, but after Shiala got her ready, she was begging for my cock. Soon, I was fucking all three holes on both of them regularly.

Then there was Benezia. I thought she would have disappeared once all was settled, but she wanted to remain by my side, admitting she had feelings for me. Not love, but she respected me completely, and wanted to help. Now that Saren and Sovereign were dead, she was confident that she could now be an ally going forward. I wasn’t going to waste the opportunity of having an asari matriarch as part of my team. No-one seemed to mind otherwise so I agreed.

I fucked her as much as anyone. Then there was the night mother and daughter walked into my bedroom, admitting they were intrigued as to how it would all work. It didn’t get weird; I’ll say that straight away. But mother and daughter certainly enjoyed the night with Commander Shepard. We enjoyed plenty of orgasms together and both asari were fucked well that evening. After that first time together, it became a regular thing, enough that Shiala gave into temptation and joined us. Considering she wasn’t related to Benezia, it didn’t take long until one asari could pleasure another while I could simply fuck or have my cock sucked by another. Watching Shiala eat out Benezia, or vice versa, was incredibly erotic. Even Liara found it exciting. Neither Benezia nor Liara crossed that border, but their relationship had clearly healed, and when I was being intimate with any of them, the words of love and affection were beautiful. By the end, even Shiala had forgiven Benezia completely. The day they day kissed and made up, holding each other tightly, Liara simply wept, now believing her mother was completely free, while Shiala had dealt with her personal demons. She still spoke of returning to Feros, but likely everyone else, she would remain by my side until the Reaper threat was ended.

Despite all this, I still remembered Annie. Despite the humans, asari and quarians I was intimate with. Despite the fact I was now a galactic hero, feted across numerous systems and world. Despite all the medals I could now place on my chest. Despite everything, I still missed her every day. Our photo still sat next my bed. I’d never remove it. All the women I was intimate in my bedroom on the _Normandy_ with understood and never questioned. I’d told all of them everything, the whole truth. I think that simply made them like me even more.

“Hold onto those memories,” Benezia whispered into my ear one night, her to my right side, Liara and Shiala to my left, “They will get you through whatever the galaxy will throw at us next.”

“You speak from experience?”

“Of course, Shepard. I have centuries of life behind me. I’ve felt every emotion possible. I know what it feels like to lose someone you love. But I remember every single one. Carry them in your heart. Fight in their name. When you are finally victorious, one that final battle is finally complete, then perhaps you can lay that memory to rest.”

“Even now, I’m not sure…”

I felt her place a hand on my chest. “I understand, Shepard. A love like that is nearly irreplaceable. And it doesn’t matter if you were only together a few days, weeks, months, years, decades or centuries. The heart just… knows. It’s what makes organics beautiful. The fact we can fall in love so easily. We can give ourselves to someone within moments. That is how you felt about her, yes?” I nodded, feeling tears prick at my eyes. Benezia had always somehow understood. “I would ask to meld, so I could understand, but…”

“Okay.”

“What?”

“Okay.”

“I shouldn’t do this without…”

Liara and Shiala woke up. Benezia explained what was going to happen. Once they understood, I told Liara and Shiala I would do the same with her next. I had melded with both of them before, but that had been only to learn what the beacons had to tell me. I’d kept myself shut off. Now they would know all about me.

Benezia slid down my cock, settling herself down, before she began the melding process. I opened my mind to her. As much as she learned about me, firstly she let me know about her. In addition to being utterly beautiful, with a self-confidence I’d rarely seen and an intelligence that made me felt stupid at times, there was a wisdom I could only hope to one day achieve. But there was also no end of heartache, pain and regret. I didn’t feel sorry for her, that’s not what she wanted as we melded. But I definitely gained new understanding. Once I learned about her, she searched my mind, and I let her discover many of my secrets. She knew everything by the end.

Once she broke the meld, her cheeks were wet with tears as she rode me. She’d already enjoyed a couple of orgasms, kissing me hard, resting her forehead against mine. She tried to say something but couldn’t get the words out. Shiala sat on her knees by her side, kissing her cheek. “We all feel the same, my lady.”

“I’m sorry,” Benezia choked out softly.

“Don’t be. Your actions brought us here. You now enjoy him like we do.” She put her lips close to her ear. “Enjoy him further, my lady.”

Benezia certainly did, eventually arching her back and crying out, her orgasm ripping through her entire body. As she did that, I blasted one of the best loads I’d ever felt deep inside her. The connection had broken mentally, but physically, we were still joined. Benezia collapsed onto my chest in flood of tears, enough that it almost got me going. She mumbled a few things which all of us, even Liara, simply shushed her about, assuring her it was all okay. Saren was gone and she was now safe.

Shiala was next once I’d recovered. Like with Benezia, I completely freed my mind. I’d liked Shiala from the moment we’d met, so our joining was far happier than with Benezia. We simply learned about each other, now knowing what made us tick at heart. She broke the mould quickly so we could simply focus on the physical aspect. She ended up on her back as I made love to her. Her words of ‘I love you’ were not a surprise at all. I couldn’t return them. I knew I liked her immensely, much like Ashley and Tali, definitely like Gianna and Emily, but part of me just… couldn’t…

All she did was kiss me gently on the cheek and assure me that she understood why. All that mattered was that she was with me, and like all the others, she would remain by my side until the end. Only then would she return to Feros. Until then, her place was by my side.

Then Liara… She wept once she knew the truth. She didn’t know much about Annie. I’d told her bits and pieces but had never opened my mouth so she understood. Once she’d completely searched my mind and gained complete understanding, she broke the connection, stopped bouncing on my cock as she collapsed onto my chest in floods of tears. “I didn’t know,” she cried quietly.

“Sorry. I thought…”

“No, no,” she sobbed, “I’m glad I understand now. I understand everything.”

I held her, understanding why the fact all three of them had been so upset. Benezia explained that connecting in such a way let them understand not only my thoughts, but the emotions that came with those thoughts. Now that they knew what I felt in addition to what I remembered, it made then understand everything, absolutely everything, about my relationship, my history, what made me… me…

Just like Shiala, as I made love to Liara, she expressed her feelings for me too. Absolutely no surprise. Benezia smiled, approving of her words. Shiala lay by her side, running a hand down Liara’s chest, stating she’d have a fight on her hands. Liara smiled, simply meeting my eyes, stating I’d be worth the fight.

Sleeping that night with Benezia to one side, Liara and Shiala to the other, I felt like a king.

It was never going to last.

* * *

I’d admit that we’d been lucky throughout most of our battle against Saren and Sovereign. And luck is always bound to run out eventually. The Council had originally taken the Reaper threat seriously, but when they gave me new orders, to go searching for geth out in the Traverse, I was left wondering why. The geth had been practically defeated during our taking of the Armstrong Nebula and during the final battle. They certainly didn’t have the strength for a new offensive into Council Space.

But, what the Council wanted, the Council got, and I soon had orders to search the Traverse for remnants of geth, and to either annihilate or push their forces back beyond the Veil. I could have ignored them, of course. A Spectre could do what he or she wanted. But the Alliance agreed, and Admiral Hackett echoed the orders of the Council. Considering the somewhat close relationship we’d now established, despite having barely met, I couldn’t ignore it.

It was two months after events around the Citadel that we found ourselves on patrol in the Omega Nebula, having heard rumours of a geth presence in the system. We were currently flying through the Amada System, searching for any sign of the geth. I was growing frustrated at the lack of any real progress, and that was starting to affect my crew members. That was my fault, but they would keep working as long as I kept leading them. All of them now were beyond loyal to myself as the lone the human Spectre and Hero of the Citadel.

Joker was at the helm as always. Pressly was still my XO, despite recommending him for promotion. He didn’t mind, always insisting he would happily serve the _Normandy_ and myself. Couldn’t ask for a better XO in all honesty. He was a good man. The ship was otherwise peaceful, even happy. Despite the frustration, the ship functioned as it should. The events of the Citadel were now behind us, there was now the next mission. At least that gave everyone focus.

I guess people wondered why we were in the Omega Nebula? Hackett had given us the news. Three ships had gone missing in the last month. It wasn’t the Reapers. They couldn’t blame piracy. There was something else out there that even gave the Council concern. Whether it was the Reapers or not, no-one was sure. Guess it was why I was sent to find out, right?

I had no idea what was coming. Working in my office, I had left Pressly in charge on the deck. I am in no way blaming him for what happened. No-one could have predicted… The first thing I knew something was wrong, Joker called over the radio to grab my attention. _“Brace for evasive manoeuvres!”_

After Saren and the Reapers, I now kept everything I needed nearby in case I needed to leave the ship immediately. Feeling the _Normandy_ rocked by a blast, it took little time to assemble myself in armour, grabbing a weapon at the same time. Whatever ship was attacking us, it either wanted us destroy or would board us and attempt to do gods only knew what. Until then, I’d fight.

“_Kinetic barriers down. Multiple hull breaches,”_ I heard Joker report. What he said would undoubtedly be true. We were only a frigate so we were already a sitting duck. The only thing we could do… “_Weapons offline!”_ Yep, we were now fucked.

I felt our ship hit again and again as I made my way to the emergency beacon. If I couldn’t get that away, no-one would know what was happening. The ship was on fire around me, making sure extinguishers eliminated some of the flames around me. I was almost knocked from my feet more than once. I heard the screams of some colleagues, stepping over more than one body. Whether they were alive or dead, I couldn’t be sure. I had to let the Alliance know at least…

The _Normandy_ was falling apart around me. I had to reattach pipes before I could get the distress beacon activated. Behind me I heard footsteps over the explosions, glancing to see both Liara and Ashley behind me. Liara would simply be worried about me. Ashley would want orders from her CO, though I knew she could have done the right thing without me.

They both seemed to realise what I was doing. “Will the Alliance get here in time?” Ashley asked. Smart girl, helmet already on, weapons at her back, ready to fight if necessary. Glancing at Liara, her faceplate was clear. The fear in her eyes…

Both lost their footing as another shot crashed into our ship. I caught them both at the same time. “The Alliance won’t abandon us. We just need to hold on. Get everyone to the escape shuttles.”

“Joker’s still in the cockpit,” Ashley reported.

“And I’m not leaving either,” Liara added.

I grabbed a fire extinguisher as flames seemed to surround us. I didn’t answer at first, focusing on putting those out before anything else. I knew the _Normandy_ was already doomed. All we could do was save everyone then wonder who the fuck was firing at us.

“Chief Williams, I need you to get the crew onto the evac shuttles. I’ll take care of Joker.” She looked up, seeing her eyes behind the tinted glass. “That’s an order, Chief.”

The place was now falling apart. The beacon wouldn’t go without reconnecting the link. Ashley made to walk away but turned back as Liara wouldn’t leave. “Shepard…”

I looked at my asari lover. “Liara. Go. Now. Ashley, take her. Get off the ship.”

“Aye-aye, Shepard,” Ashley stated. The emotion in her voice at that moment… She knew… She knew…

Reconnecting the link, the screen reappeared that would allow me to fire the beacon. Slamming the console, the VI reported the beacon was away. The Alliance wouldn’t arrive in time to save us. Not a chance in hell. But they’d save most of the crew at least. The _Normandy_ was dead though. I was realistic enough to know that. Hell of a way to end my first command.

The VI reported that escape pods had fired with crew on board. I could only hope they would now be safe from whatever was attacking us. I stepped over the bodies of the fallen, shaking my head, cursing our bad luck. We’d survived Saren and Sovereign, but now they were dead for… what? The engines were now failing. Explosions continued to rip through the _Normandy_. None of us had long left. I could hear Joker through my ear piece, the desperation in his voice clear.

When I stepped out into what was the CIC, I couldn’t help stop and look. The roof had disappeared, leaving a somewhat beautiful view of space and the nearby planet. Only the ship’s gravity and shields kept me from floating into space, making sure my magnetic boots were also working. Ahead, I could see Joker behind a kinetic barrier, only that preventing him from being suffocated by space. The ship was a sitting duck. We had to get off quickly.

Stepping into the somewhat safe zone, I immediately recognised the body of Pressly on the ground. I checked for a pulse and dropped my head for a moment. The gaping hole in his stomach suggested he had died instantly. Another body lay nearby. I recognised her as Ensign Caroline Grenado. Always very friendly and bloody good at her job. She had a significant head wound. Another check told me what I needed to know.

“Come on, Joker. We need to get out of here.”

He glanced back, a sigh of relief that he had his own helmet fixed. “No. I won’t abandon the Normandy. I can still save her!”

At that moment, I respected the hell out of my helmsman, willing to go down with his ship. A reminder of sailors from centuries past who would go down with their ship, no matter the cost. But we no longer lived in those days, and sacrificing his life was a futile gesture.

I grabbed his upper arm, making him look at me. “Joker, the Normandy is lost.” He stared at me. “Going down with the ship won’t change that.”

He gave it a moments thought before he sighed, nodding his head. “Okay… Can you help me up?” Before I could lift him up, he reported the unknown ship was coming around for another attack, looking back to see the sheer the cockpit practically away from the rest of the ship. Knowing we had little time, I lifted Joker out of his seat and practically dragged him to the nearest escape pod. Sitting him down and ensuring he was secure, the ship was rocked by another explosion, which slapped me back against the wall. I already knew the score.

I smacked the button that closed the hatch that allowed the pod to escape, watching it fire before I was hit by another shockwave, floating through the remains of the CIC. I already knew my fate but couldn’t help but marvel at the destruction. Whatever had done this had my respect, though I thought they could go fuck themselves at the same time. Bastards ruining my ship and all…

The ship exploded into pieces as I watched, hanging my head for a moment. Never would have believed my command would end in such a manner. I then calmed myself. I was in a hard suit. I had plenty of air. All I would need to do was contact…

Yeah, not going to happen. An alarm sounded, warning that pressure and air in my suit was running low. A hose had disconnected behind me. I grabbed to reconnect it, but doing it blind was nearly impossible. With each passing second, I was losing air and pressure. I felt my mind start to drift, breathing started to become difficult. Before I knew, I was passing out…

What a bitch of a way to die…

But… finally... finally, after all the false starts and facing near death too many times to count… I would be with Annie again.


	19. Interlude - While I Was Sleeping

**The Crew of the Normandy**

The beacon has been replied to immediately. At least three ships were sent in response to the mayday. When they arrived, they found no sign of the _Normandy_ nor of the ship that had apparently destroyed it. What they did find was a number of lifepods, frantic messages for help being communicated.

Six ships in total arrived in the orbit of Alchera, a cruiser in the lead with five frigates patrolling around it. The lifepods were taken straight back to the cruiser, the _SSV London_. The number of survivors was more than expected, but no-one believed that the _SSV Normandy_ could have been destroyed, but worse was that Commander Shepard was confirmed as lost. His crew demanded they try and find his body, but the search was paltry at best. Not knowing the situation around them, whether the ship that had destroyed the _Normandy_ was still present, the captain of the _London_ ordered their retreat to safety.

Shepard was confirmed as Killed in Action.

Back on the Citadel, Ambassador Udina (as elected by the Alliance Parliament) and Admiral Hackett spoke with the survivors. Though they were thanked for their bravery and assistance, without Commander Shepard in the lead, it was time for everyone to make their own way. Alliance staff was reassigned. The non-Alliance personnel were told their services were no longer required. There was plenty of anger and resentment at how quickly everything was ended, but those at the heart of everything were not surprised.

“They never believed,” Liara muttered, “And we will all pay the price.”

Without Shepard, the glue that held them all together, though they were friends, and had forged bonds in fire, each of them now had to head their own way, take destiny into their own hands. All of them had changed though. Returning to their old lives was out of the question. What they had learned during their time with Shepard meant that was simply impossible. But without Shepard leading them, all of them would admit to feeling a little… lost.

* * *

**Tali’Zorah nar Rayya**

Feeling the skin of her human lover under her fingertips, she took a deep shuddering breath. No doubt Ashley knew what was coming, feeling her arm wrap around her a little tighter, closing her eyes, unable to meet hers.

“I have to go home,” she whispered.

“I know,” Ashley whispered in return. Tali took a deep breath to control her emotions. She wanted to cry, hold her human lover, never let her go. She’d never felt anything like this for anyone except the man who had disappeared. But she was a quarian at heart, and though she loved the connection she had made, she knew returning was the best thing for her.

“Should I leave quickly or…”

She felt Ashley pull her closer, kissing her forehead. “I’d love for you to stay forever, but I know leaving will be hard for both of us.”

“Quicker the better?” She heard Ashley take a deep breath, finally looking up to meet her eyes. When they looked at hers, seeing the shimmer in her eyes… It nearly broke her completely.

She sat up and leaned against the headboard, keying her omni-tool, immediately looking for transportation away from the Citadel. Once that was booked, which was surprisingly easy, though getting all the way back to the Fleet would take some organisation, she switched it off and leaned into Ashley. “Don’t want to go,” she murmured.

“Feeling is mutual, Tali. But I have my orders too. I’ll be off to the other end of the galaxy soon enough.”

“Is this it?” she asked, blinking rapidly at the thought of losing her.

She felt a finger under her chin, meeting the eyes of her again. The tears were a surprise. Ashley Williams never cried. But right now, the tears flowed easily. Leaning down, she kissed her softly, putting all the feeling they had for each other in quite a simple gesture. Feeling her hand run down her cheek, resting her forehead against hers, Ashley managed to say, “Maybe… I don’t know… You’re going home now and…”

“I love you,” Tali managed to choke out.

“Feeling is more than mutual, my little quarian lover,” Ashley managed to reply, a smirk forming before their lips met. Any idea of perhaps leaving the hotel room ended then and there. The love making that followed was something else entirely. They’d enjoyed a lot of sex since returning to the Citadel, almost as a way of getting over their grief. But she knew both of them felt this was something different. Perhaps the last time…

She ended up on her back, Ashley kissing her hard, feeling her fingers inside her, searching for that special spot. “Cum for me, Tali,” her human lover breathed. Tali would have laughed. Ashley always made her cum. She made her cum constantly, and she liked to believe she returned the favour. Ashley didn’t relent, their lips never parting until Tali came hard, wrapping her arms around Ashley as she squeezed her fingers, wrapping her legs around her thighs as she cried out. She didn’t just cry out, she cried, feeling hot tears streak down her cheeks, Ashley immediately kissing her face to clear them away.

Then they held each other in silence, fingertips gently stroking each other. They’d enjoy a shower later, dress, and then they would have to leave. But, for now, they would enjoy the presence, the scent, of the other.

They fell asleep for at least a couple of hours before waking up. Heading to the shower, they washed each other, enjoying plenty of cuddling and kissing, before heading back to the bedroom, where they needed to dress. She sat on the bed, watching Ashley get ready, before her human lover helped her get back into her suit. The last act was the mask, closing her eyes as Ashley cupped her face. “I won’t forget you, Tali’Zorah,” she whispered. Tali could only open her eyes and smile. It was probably the best way to say goodbye.

“I won’t forget you either, Ashley.”

They kissed a final time before Tali found herself sealed away. Heading out into the Citadel, they headed towards a restaurant that catered to both human and quarian needs, which were few and far between. But they managed to find a place that allowed them a few more hours together. Looking around the Ward, the signs of the battle were still obvious. Fires still raged in certain sections, left wondering when they would be put out and the damage restored. The Presidium was obviously the focus for now. Until that was fixed, the Wards would simply have to cope.

Tali told Ashley that her ship would be departing soon, so the pair walked hand in hand towards the dock she would be departing from. No doubt the fact a human walked hand in hand with a quarian caused some stares, but Ashley didn’t seem to care one bit, which only made her smile behind the mask. At the docks, they sat and waited for the departure call, unable to really find any words to share. Everything they needed had already been shared back in the room.

Before boarding, they shared a final hug. Tali wanted to say something like she’d call and message her constantly but the realist in her knew they may not see each other again. Their lives were so different. The _Normandy_ had brought them together, and without it, they would now be on separate sides of the galaxy. Ashley caressed the side of her mask. “Goodbye, Tali.”

Tali knew what goodbye meant. Ashley had said it with good reason. She was a realist as well. She hugged her tightly a final time, feeling Ashley squeeze her in return. She wanted to tell her how much she loved her, but while she would always feel that way about her, she knew it was already time to move on. Hide away those feelings and simply… try and forget. Letting go of the taller human, she grabbed her small bag, turned and walked towards the docking bay. She looked back a final time to see Ashley wipe her cheeks with the back of her hand. Part of her wanted to run back and hug her. But she steeled herself, took a deep breath. Meeting her eyes one last time, she smiled behind the mask, hoping Ashley recognised it, before she turned and strode down the docking arm towards the shuttle that would eventually carry her home.

Her return was triumphant thanks to the information Shepard had given her. But she felt nothing but empty back on the fleet. Her lover now a galaxy away and her hero dead. The only thing she could do was focus on her new life, her new job, and simply try and forget…

* * *

**Urdnot Wrex**

The landscape out the window of the shuttle was a barren wasteland, a testament to the futility of nuclear war. The technological advances made by the krogan were, in the end, a monumental disaster. The technology gave them entirely new ways of killing each other. At one stage, the krogan had been the saviours of the galaxy, their century’s long war against the rachni proving their prowess in battle. But then there were the Rebellions, in response to those was the unleashing of the genophage, and the near destruction of the krogan race.

Tuchanka was nothing but piles of rubble, an absolute battered land, barely worth fighting over. The once garden world was something only talked about in whispers, barely remembered by those krogan who still lived, a past consigned to the history books. No-one thought the world would ever flourish once more. Tuchanka was now considered one of the deadliest planets in the galaxy. Apart from the krogan inhabitants, any flora and fauna that had survived the nuclear fallout was deadly to any potential visitors. Then there was the atmosphere, the ozone layer that once covered the planet completely destroyed, and the Shroud, the giant tower built by the salarians, the only thing keeping the planet liveable.

Wrex sat alone in the shuttle as it started its descent. It had been centuries since he last set foot on the homeworld. He had washed his hands of his people for years, simply focusing on his own life and gave an air of being uncaring about the plight of his people. But, deep in his heart, he had always cared greatly about his people. About their plight. Their standing in the pantheon of galactic races. It had been during his conversations with Shepard that he had realised that perhaps, just perhaps, he should return home. And help lead his people out of the plight they suffered. Wrex remembered the promise Shepard had made on Virmire, of helping the krogan find a cure for the genophage.

Krogan rarely felt great sadness, but the thought of Shepard gave Wrex pause. It had been a few months since Shepard had been lost, the unknown ship blasting the _Normandy_ apart, Shepard blown clear of the wreckage. He had attended the funeral, out of respect for his fellow warrior, though his body had never been found. Once the funeral was finished, the rest of the crew had been split up by the Alliance. He was aware the Council was already ignoring his warnings. As for the Alliance, they had simply lost their poster boy, their first Spectre. Whether there were plans for a replacement, he certainly didn’t know.

During his time on the _Normandy_, and in the months since the funeral, Wrex had quietly established contacts on Tuchanka, trying to find like-minded individuals and clans, who would support his drive and ideas. Wrex had an ambitious plan. End the clan feuds. Unite Tuchanka as one, under the flag of Clan Urdnot. And finally bring an end to the genophage and the end of krogan isolation from the rest of the galactic races.

Establishing dominance of his clan would be difficult enough. His brood-brother, Wreav, had been left in charge since Wrex had left, and Clan Urdnot had become an embarrassing shell of what it once was. Wrex thought his brother was an idiot, always had, and it was the one regret he had about originally leaving Tuchanka, knowing that his brother could one day lay claim to leadership. Wrex was prepared to fight and kill his brother, if necessary, but from news he had already been told, Wrex would have the support of the clan on his return. It appeared becoming an infamous bounty hunter, and also a member of the crew that saved the Citadel, and quite possibly the galaxy, may help him re-establish control. It also helped that most were unhappy with the ineffectiveness of Wreav’s leadership.

The shuttle finally landed on his homeworld, Wrex opening the door and setting foot on Tuchankan soil for the first time in hundreds of years. He bent down to one knee and grabbed a handful of dirt, letting it run through his fingers, before he rubbed his hands together and stood up, looking around at the wasteland that greeted his eyes.

_It’s a fucking hell-hole. But it’s home._

_Our home._

_My home._

Two krogan walked up the pile of rubble to where Wrex stood in front of the shuttle. Arms were crossed diagonally across their chests in salute, a slight bow as they spoke. “Urdnot Wrex, welcome home to Tuchanka.”

Wrex returned the gesture before he walked forward, arms spread wide. “I am pleased to return home, brothers.”

The two krogan fell in alongside Wrex as the trio walked down the rubble mound. In front of them on an open square were lines of krogan. There must have been hundreds of them. Proud warriors, one and all. Wrex’s proclamations had apparently reached all corners of Tuchanka. Perhaps even to those krogan who no longer called Tuchanka home. The krogan lined up in front of him were but a fraction of those in support of Wrex and his ideas.

“These are the leaders and members of the clans who wish to pursue peace? Who truly want an end to the genophage? To end the cycle of violence? That wish to see the krogan re-integrate themselves within the galaxy?” asked Wrex.

“Indeed they are, Urdnot Wrex. There are still many clans who would oppose your ideas, but the clans represented here are aware of your history and the fall-out with your father. Many of the krogan in front of you now have always supported your ideals, but have simply had to await your return. Most clans are not strong enough to go alone.”

Wrex grumbled slightly. He had always resented the way he had retreated from Tuchanka. But when most of his finest warriors were murdered by his father and those loyal to him, Wrex had been left with little choice but to leave in desperation. But not without getting revenge on his father first, leaving him dead on the ground, a knife buried deep in his heart.

Wrex came to a stop in front of the rows of krogan, stood on a small mound as he overlooked them. They all gave the same gesture, arm across the chest, a slight bow. “You honour us, Urdnot Wrex,” they said as one. Wrex gave a slight bow in return. He was surprised at the respect. Then again, news of Virmire, his role in defeating Saren, of his promise to end the genophage, had reached Tuchanka. It was one of many reasons why so many clans had been willing to join. There was one word at the back of all their minds. Of his mind. He was promising to give the krogan the one thing they had lacked for over a thousand years.

Hope.

"The krogan were once a proud people. A people that the galaxy once relied on, to fight on their behalf. We once lived by ideals of courage, strength and honour. But for the last thousand years, we have done nothing but kill ourselves, and waste our lives. Today, we begin our rebirth. Today, we start the rise of the krogan once again. But no longer will be a species to be feared. We will be a species to be respected. We will once again earn our place in the galaxy. We will lead the krogan into a new future. Today, starts a new dawn for the krogan!"

The assembled krogan roared their approval. Wrex allowed himself a slight grin. He figured Shepard would have been proud of that one. Wrex looked up into the sky, the sun beating down on the battered landscape of Tuchanka. He let another small grin cross his face.

_Shepard would be proud._

_And I will make you proud, my brother._

He returned his attention to the assembled ranks of krogan in front of him. His new band of brothers. Krogan who were willing to fight and die for Wrex and his ideals.

“Come, my brothers. Let us begin.”

The Fourth Tuchankan Civil War was about to begin. And, this time, Clan Urdnot would be the victor.

* * *

**Garrus Vakarian**

“I’m going,” he muttered.

“Where?” she asked.

“I don’t know. Just… anywhere not here. There are too many reminders. The Spectres…” He scoffed. “I would have tried to join them if he was still here. Now they besmirch his name like he’s some sort of… embarrassment.”

“What about me?”

He turned towards her, cupped her face with his talons. “I love you, Chloe. Always will. But it’s…” He sighed, trailing off. He wasn’t good at sharing feelings. Few turians were. He usually wore his heart on his sleeve, but when it came to matters like this, and with her, he could rarely find the words. He felt too many things that he simply couldn’t express them.

“You’ll come back?” He nodded immediately. He loved her more than anyone. Anything. He didn’t want to go. But he also had to go to find… himself again. “I’ll wait for you, Garrus.”

“Chloe…”

She leaned forward, the bedsheet dropping to reveal her soft body. Kissing him on his cheek, he pulled her right. “I understand, Garrus. Do what you need to do. No matter how long, I’ll be here when you return.”

“Chloe…”

He felt her squeeze him even tighter. “I understand,” she whispered.

“It’s not fair,” he muttered.

“You had a lot of love for him. I know that.”

“He was my brother in arms. I would have died for him.”

Just saying that… He felt his voice catch. He missed him terribly. The only thing that made him feel better since their return to the Citadel had been her. But it wasn’t enough. He was upset. Heartbroken. Stricken with grief… And angry. More than angry. Furious. He burned with vengeance. Geth. Krogan. Even human or turian. Whoever was responsible. He was going to hunt whoever was responsible to the edge of the galaxy and watch them burn. He would gain retribution for his death. He would fight and die in his name going forward.

“Does anyone else know?”

“I think it’s best I just disappear for a while, Chloe. I might let my father know I’m alive, at least.”

“Before you go…” He met her eyes, noticing her cheeks colour.

They made love a final time. She knew he’d leave soon after, so she seemed to make sure it would last for as long as possible. Watching her ride his cock, he couldn’t help marvel at her body, watching her slowly bounce up and down on his length. When he finally came inside her, she couldn’t move for a little while because of what happened when he ejaculated. She loved the extra connection that arrived when he climaxed, simply using it as an excuse to rest herself on his chest, running a hand up and down her back, enjoying the feeling of her smooth skin.

Once they could disconnect, she got up and dragged him into the shower, where she handed him soap and a washcloth so he could wash her down. Spirits, he loved her body. No, not just her body. He loved _her_. Always would. He’d already thought about a future together, though that had been before the destruction of the _Normandy_. Leading her back to the bedroom later, she sat down naked and watched him start to dress himself. She smiled whenever his eyes met hers. Escorting him to the door, they hugged for what felt like hours. He told her he loved her. He told her he would be back. He told her…

“When you’re ready, come back to me, Garrus,” she whispered. And, with a final kiss on the cheek, she closed the door, leaving him alone.

Taking a deep breath, he grabbed his bag and walked towards the dock, already thinking about which festering shithole to go to first.

He didn’t have to search long and hard for his first target. A planet that was ripe for the taking. It was called Omega. Run by Aria T’Loak. The perfect place to begin his path of vengeance. Fight in his name and cleanse the galaxy of the scum that infested it.

*****

The dozen men were gathered around the small table, on which sat only a map of the area. The leader of these men looked upon his followers, almost like a proud father. They were men of many race and creed – turian, human, salarian, even a batarian had joined the ranks. The dozen men were dressed in combat armour. But on each man was no official insignia. They shared only the same colour. Some would have considered them mercenaries, as they fought with no army, representing no race or people. However, these men fought for no pay or personal glory. They fought to protect the innocent, and served justice to the guilty. They considered themselves just in their cause.

They were the protectors of Omega.

Garrus cleared his throat, the eyes of the other eleven men on him, falling silent as he started to speak. Like usual, the instructions would be short, sharp and precise. He trusted his men implicitly.

“The mercenaries are located in a warehouse here,” stated Garrus, pointing at the map, “Butler and Krul, you will take up a sniping position, here. Weaver and Erash, you will take up a sniping position here. You’ll provide us with cover and can eliminate any resistance not located within the building. The other eight of us will infiltrate the warehouse. The main door is located here. There are side doors located here, here and here, where we can enter. We will split into two teams of four. I assume you have all learned the lay-out of the warehouse?”

Eleven heads nodded.

“Expected resistance?” asked Sensat, the lone batarian. Garrus was surprised when he offered his services. But he’d proven his worth. He was a skilled fighter and worthy of being part of his team.

“Up to twenty to thirty mercenaries will be within the warehouse. They have no heavy weaponry. Expect only light opposition. Our objective is but one: We will enter, kill and exit as quickly and as quietly as possible. However, we will leave fireworks once we’ve departed. Mierin, that’s where you come in. You have the package?”

The salarian nodded. An original recruit. One that Garrus trusted most. Ex-STG. And a tough son of a bitch.

“Good.”

“Are we taking prisoners for interrogation?” asked Monteague, a human mercenary who had joined their cause not many weeks before, having lost everything he owned and loved to a band of mercs. One of many looked for their own sort of revenge.

“No,” replied Garrus.

Eleven nodded their heads in agreement. It was the standard mission then.

“Any other questions?”

All remained silent.

“Good. Everyone clear regarding our objective?”

Eleven heads nodded.

“Grab your armour and gear. We leave in five minutes.”

Garrus and his team were as silent as the wind as they made their way to the warehouse, using the shadows to their advantage. It was the same tactical plan. No-one would see them come or go. There would be the sound of gunfire, but that was not usual on Omega. Barely a day went by when there were not bodies found in the streets and avenues, all over the station. Omega was completely and utterly lawless. The only person Garrus knew who could even begin to bring a semblance of law and order was Aria T’Loak, and Garrus had no time for her either, considering she was the designated ‘Pirate Queen’ and undisputed ruler of Omega. Therefore, groups, such as those Garrus continuously fought, thrived on the misery of others. There was slavery, drug dealing, and murder. Utter corruption and debasement of the population. Garrus took pleasure in cleaning up the place.

With the snipers in position, Garrus and his team waited at the side of the warehouse. The crack of rifles soon echoed in the air. There were no cries for help. The men he had chosen were expert shots. They never missed. Silence soon descended again.

“All clear,” came the call through his earpiece.

With only two hand movements, Garrus and his team split up as planned. They would flank the opposition, forcing them back into the main floor of the warehouse, where Garrus hoped to then mop up any resistance that remained.

He walked quickly, in a slightly crouching position, to the door, gesturing to the man behind him to the other side. Garrus grabbed the doorknob and looked at Sidonis. He looked back and nodded. Garrus flung the door open inwards and moved in, rifle raised, searching for targets. The hallway was dark and empty.

Garrus gestured to the doors to his side, two by two as the men searched for the enemy. He opened one door to see two men sat watching a vid-screen. They hadn’t heard them enter. He gestured to Lorethis for quiet, the two creeping up behind the men, taking out the knife that sat at their hips. Garrus grabbed one of the men by the mouth, preventing him screaming out, while plunging the knife into his neck. The struggle didn’t last long.

The quiet didn’t last, though, as soon gunfire echoed around the warehouse.

“Go loud,” ordered Garrus as they started walking quicker through the hallways. Doors were kicked in, rifles fired at anyone who moved. Anyone who ran towards them was mown down by rifle fire. He tried keeping count of the bodies but it was pointless. He knew they were approaching the planned killing field. He guessed that that the opposition would fall back for one last stand.

Garrus approached a closed door. He peered through the small glass pane. It was the main warehouse floor. Just as planned. He could see the remnants of the mercenary force trying to dig in. He could hear shouts of concern. He heard the one question that was always asked.

“Who the fuck is attacking us?” someone would ask.

“It must be Archangel,” would be the reply.

Garrus looked back at his men and nodded. He opened the door and ran onto the floor, taking cover behind a crate. He waited until he knew his three colleagues were near him, and then they opened fire.

“Team two in position,” came the call over the radio.

The mercenaries would now be pinned.

“Team three in position,” came another call.

Those were the snipers, now taking position outside the warehouse door, preventing any escape.

Garrus would consider cease-fire as an option, giving the mercenaries a chance. But he remembered what happened on Nepheron and the morons from Cerberus, the olive branch Shepard offered, thrown back in his face. Garrus would offer no olive branch. These mercenaries deserved what was coming to them.

“Maintain pressure,” he ordered.

The gunfire was incessant. Grenades exploded. He could hear the tell-tale noises of tech bursts. Of sniper fire. Of shotguns. The cries of the injured, soon to be dead, would drown out the sounds of everything else for a moment. The ground ran red and blue, orange and green with blood, the various colours mixing together, almost a kaleidoscope of blood on the floor.

Soon the fire started to peter out. Garrus called out to cease-fire. Carefully his team moved out of cover. Garrus checked for injuries. One or two of his men were wounded, but no-one had been killed. It was another successful operation, the bodies of the opposition littering the ground. The occasional shot rang out as a survivor was put down. There would be no prisoners.

“Mierin, prepare the package,” Garrus ordered.

With the package prepared in moments, Garrus ordered his squad to move out. Again in the shadows they departed, the sounds of a massive explosion ringing in their ears, as they made their way back to their base, where they would unwind and quietly celebrate another success. It was another battle of a war that would never end. But it was a fight that Garrus would continue until his dying breath.

That was his solemn promise to the people of Omega. And to his dead friend.

* * *

**Ashley Williams**

Ashley had said goodbye to Tali within a couple of weeks after the _Normandy_ had been destroyed. It had… It had torn her heart out. She’d loved the little quarian, more than she’d ever imagined. She’d never thought she’d ever fall in love with another woman. Let alone another woman _and_ an alien as well. But, somehow, they’d forged a bond, and Ashley knew she’d never forget her. But after Shepard was lost, they were forced apart, both knowing the forces of the galaxy were stronger than the love they may have shared.

It wasn’t just losing Tali, though. Losing Shepard was just as tough. She loved Tali. Still loved her even after the quarian had returned home. But, in her heart, she’d loved Shepard. Perhaps differently to her quarian lover, but she had _believed._ More than anything, she had believed in Commander Shepard. Her friend, lover, confidant… The man who had believed in her as much in return.

She’d been promoted to Operations Chief and had started the road towards becoming an officer. She knew that was due to the recommendations of Shepard, plus the fact Anderson had also been in the ear of Alliance brass, and there was no doubt Admiral Hackett was now an admirer. She had more than one meeting with both men, as though she had earned promotion, they admitted to being unsure where to place her.

To her disappointment, she didn’t find herself placed on another starship, though part of her didn’t want to be on any other ship than the _Normandy_. She worked on Earth for a few months, keeping an eye and ear on the news over time as she watched everything they’d learned about the Reapers swept under the carpet, the Council denying their existence. They didn’t call Shepard delusional but the insinuation was clear. As for the Alliance, Anderson was a believer, as was Hackett, but even the latter, even though he was Admiral of the Fleet, earning a promotion after the Citadel, only had so much power.

She kept in touch was Tali for a time but communication eventually dropped between them. Keeping a long distance relationship going, with little chance of seeing each other, was always going to be difficult. It was at least nine months after they parted when they simply agreed that they should both move on. She was upset to end it with her but, considering their circumstances, it was the best thing to do. Problem for Ashley was that moving on was just too difficult. Any man she looked at would be compared to Shepard, and no-one could possibly compare to him. And she didn’t find herself attracted to another woman, figuring perhaps it had just been Tali who had interested her…

As for the rest of the _Normandy_ crew, she eventually fell out of touch with them too. She would email Doctor Chakwas every so often, surprised to hear the good doctor had been shunted onto some facility on Mars. Joker had basically been grounded, and from whispers she’d heard, he’d taken to drink and blamed himself for Shepard’s death. All other surviving Alliance personnel had been sent to other ships or postings, and the likes of Wrex and Garrus had simply moved on.

The one person she did keep in contact with was Liara. She would admit the two hadn’t exactly always been warm to each other, at least to start with, but over time, the two had become friendly enough, each aware they were both intimate with Shepard, not that they’d discuss it. But Liara seemed to make sure she stayed in contact with her, sending her an email at least once a month. She didn’t say much about what she was doing, but she definitely seemed to have plenty of information to share, particularly in regards to investigating the destruction of the _Normandy_. That just made Ashley scratch her head, wondering what an archaeologist was doing investigating it…

Still, at least someone was looking into it, as the Alliance had quickly written it off as a geth attack and closed the file. Ashley wasn’t stupid. She knew Sovereign wasn’t a geth ship, Saren was indoctrinated, and there was no way any geth ship could have ripped apart the _Normandy_ as easily as it had happened. No, she knew there was another enemy out there. If it wasn’t the Reapers, then who was responsible for the destruction of the _Normandy_ and the death of Commander Shepard? She couldn’t ask too many questions too loudly. She’d only just earned her stripes, finally rising to a station she believed she should have been at years before. If she rocked the boat now, they’d demote her just as quickly to prove a point.

She would simply have to keep her head down, grit her teeth, put up with the lies, and hope Liara or whoever else would find the truth.

* * *

**Liara T’Soni**

_(A/N – To be honest, there is so much content regarding Liara between games 1 & 2 that I could have written an entire chapter just about her. So I’ve had to cut it to the bare facts before leaping into the next chapter. Still other characters to consider too…)_

No-one else knew how busy Liara T’Soni had been since the destruction of the _Normandy_. She was desperate to tell those who knew her best the truth, but telling the truth about what she’d done would likely cause… problems…

Liara was a true believer in the Reaper threat. Having melded with Shepard numerous times, particularly once their physical relationship _finally_ started, she knew everything he did. She knew what loomed on the horizon. They may have stopped Sovereign, but the Reapers would not be stopped forever. They’d find a way to arrive and begin the harvest. That’s what made losing Shepard such a bitter blow.

But unlike the Alliance, she didn’t give up on him so easily. She wanted to ask some of the others to help. She didn’t think they gave up on him. They were just… heartbroken. She did wonder about approaching perhaps Garrus or Ashley, but the former spoke of joining the Spectres, while Ashley was quickly shuffled off to her next posting. That left Liara alone to go search.

Two months after the loss of Shepard and the _Normandy_, Liara turned her back on the world of science and archaeology in attempt to find him to begin with the… she wasn’t sure what. Burial? Probably. Revival? Unlikely, but she could live in hope. All she wanted was Shepard back, as much as anyone else she’d been alongside. After searching Alchera, where most of the _Normandy_ had ended up crashing upon, she found no sign of the Commander and put out feelers across the galaxy. That led her to Omega…

Arriving on Omega eventually led to a meeting with Aria T’Loak, the ‘Pirate Queen’, who proved of little help. That didn’t surprise her in the slightest, but she did end up meeting her contact, a drell by the name of Feron. After finding herself ambushed by Blue Suns mercenaries, she ended up meeting a woman by the name of Miranda Lawson, who represented an organisation called Cerberus. She knew of Cerberus quite well. Shepard had spent months dismantling many of their operations across the galaxy, and she was well aware of their pro-human, anti-alien agenda. She was eventually introduced to the ‘Illusive Man’, who claimed he had the technology to bring Shepard back to life, but that couldn’t be done without his body, and the Collectors, a race unknown to most of the galaxy, were willing to pay for it. He further insinuated, though couldn’t provide evidence for now, that the Collectors were agents for the Reapers. That definitely grabbed her attention.

Further investigation led her again to the Blue Suns, who she discovered had been the group to find Shepard’s body on Alchera, put it into stasis, and brought it to Omega to sell to the Shadow Broker, who would than move it for the Collectors. Feron and herself attempted an ambush of the handover of Shepard’s body to Shadow Broker agents, but the operation quickly went wrong, a salarian agent by the name of Tazzik escaping with Shepard’s body.

She gave chase alongside Feron, eventually ending up in the orbit of Alingon. There were no redeeming features about the planet, but they figured out it was a base for the Shadow Broker. Needing to infiltrate quickly, the pair established a simple plan to get planet-side and deal with whatever was necessary.

The whole thing nearly went wrong more than once. In fact, looking back, Liara couldn’t believe she got away with it. It was only after events played out, escaping on Tazzik’s ship with Shepard’s body on board, Feron having sacrificed himself to ensure her success, that she could sit back, take a breath, and take stock of events. She was no longer the innocent archaeologist Shepard had found on Therum. She had taken on the Shadow Broker and won. But handing over Shepard was only the start. She knew the Reapers were out there…

Given co-ordinates for the meet, she flew the shuttle towards Minuteman Station. Meeting Miranda Lawson in person again, she asked if the Illusive Man would make an appearance. Miranda simply smirked, suggesting he was probably watching but would not make a personal appearance.

“Do you want to check?” Miranda wondered.

“It’s him,” she whispered, “I don’t need…” She looked at the brunette woman. “Wouldn’t it best to let dead men rest?”

“You don’t believe we can bring him back?”

“It’s not that. Hasn’t he already done enough?”

“The Illusive Man believes in the threat, and also believes we have the technology and capabilities to bring him back. If he believes, why can’t you?”

Liara found she didn’t have an answer to that. With a last sigh, all she could do was hand over the body and ask Miranda to bring Shepard exactly as he was. Miranda said that Cerberus would, though Liara didn’t know if she should believe her entirely. Surely they would be aware of Shepard’s history with them?

That done, Liara was left with a dilemma. What to do next? She’d certainly made some enemies during her fight to retrieve Shepard, including the Shadow Broker. In fact, she was left rather pissed off regarding the enigmatic figure. No-one knew who the Shadow Broker was. A lone individual? A group of people? An A.I? She was left thinking and feeling that, whoever they were, they were dangerous. And she was left believing she was now in their cross-hairs.

For the first time in decades, she approached her mother for help. Not directly, but after her mother had been found guilty of treason, Liara had been left with the estate. One thing her mother had made sure to leave was credits. Lots and lots of credits. The one thing Liara needed was information. Information regarding the Reapers, the Collectors, Cerberus, the Shadow Broker, anything and everything that would help in regards to the upcoming war. She knew it was coming. When, she couldn’t be sure. Not yet…

She eventually ended up on Illium, an asari colony world near the very edge of Citadel space. Using all the credits at her disposal, she put together her own little firm of information brokers. Information was everything, and Liara found she was quite good at analysing data. Recruiting numerous asari, turians, humans, even quarians, her firm soon grew, attracting the attention of governments and organisations, who soon grew to appreciate all the information she could gather and send out.

Life wasn’t easy on Illium. Everyone had a price, and more than once, she was sure the Shadow Broker sent agents to find and eliminate her. She ended up with a solid protection detail, bodyguards who watched her twenty-four hours a day, or so it seemed. Her apartment in one of the finest suburbs of Nos Astra was the best money could buy, with all the protection needed for an aspiring information broker. Her name was soon opening doors across the galaxy. Even the Council seemed to take notice of who she was, though whether it was because of herself, or simply her name, she could never be sure.

Through it all, she stayed single. Sure, asari, humans and turians showed an interest, but in the back of her mind, she believed Shepard would return one day, and when he did, well… The thought of what they might do certainly made her blush when she thought about it. She missed him every day, and the only thing that got her through was the belief that perhaps, just perhaps, Cerberus could deliver on their promise and return him alive.

Until that day, she had work to do. The Shadow Broker was out there, and he had made an enemy out of Liara T’Soni.

* * *

**Matriarch Benezia**

Benezia would admit she was glad the Asari Republics no longer carried out capital punishment. But, still, being exiled from asari space was embarrassing. Well, it would have been had she not accepted the punishment without question. At least everything taken from her had been given to her daughter, Liara. Benezia may have been called a traitor, not only to her own kind but every Council species, but at least none of it would rub off on her daughter, or at least she hoped it would in the long run.

With only a few possessions and no acolytes, she had little idea of what to do with her life. For centuries, she’d cultivated a following on Thessia. She’d had hundreds of asari devoted to her cause. When she’d approached Saren, hoping to turn him away from his foolhardy plan, she hadn’t believed she’d so easily fall into his clutches. So many of her acolytes had fallen victim to him… It was all her own fault.

She had expected to be arrested by the Council or the Alliance after the _Normandy_ had been destroyed. The Alliance wanted nothing to do with her, while the Council made it clear that, although she had somewhat assisted Shepard, she had still be an ally of Saren for a period of time. Returning to Thessia had always been her plan, and the reception she received was as she expected. Arrest. Incarceration. Interrogation. Trial. Judgement.

Exile.

She wasn’t going to join her daughter. She was doing whatever she wanted with her life. Benezia certainly wasn’t going to stand in her way. Shiala had also headed off to do her own thing. With Shepard now dead, the Council swung around, eventually denying the existence of the Reapers. She knew the horrible truth but knew she couldn’t speak openly about it. No-one would believe her. No-one would probably listen to her. Again, it was all her own fault.

But she needed to do something. She needed to help. She felt guilty about the lives ruined, the lives taken. Though exiled from asari space, she had not been banned from travelling the rest of Council space. She remembered Shepard being fond of a Captain Anderson, so she sent him a message, asking to meet on the Citadel. The man was clearly sceptical but agreed to a meeting.

She managed to arrive on a passenger ship incognito, though she was sure the C-Sec guards recognised her at once, but they let her pass without too many questions. Heading to the Wards, she found the human waiting for her in a coffee shop. She despised the drink the humans loved and had introduced to the galaxy, though had grown to enjoy tea, similar to beverages found on asari worlds.

Sitting across from the dark-skinned human, she briefly explained her predicament. To her surprise, he appeared at least a little understanding. “I didn’t think you’d care,” she admitted.

“To be honest, I don’t.” Her face no doubt spoke volumes as he smiled. “Just being honest. But Shepard had good things to say despite some of the things you were responsible for, and if Shepard had good things to say, then he must have thought you were worth helping. So I’ll help you because it’s what he would have wanted.”

“You miss him?” she asked, her voice soft. She missed him too.

“Every day, Lady Benezia. And what the Council…” He stopped abruptly, obviously not wanting to share his own thoughts with her. “Anyway, I’m aware that you’re an exile from your own space and the Council don’t particularly want your presence on the Citadel. So what do you want?”

“I want to help. Make right some of the wrongs.”

“Are you still indoctrinated?”

She nodded. “I still hear the voices from time to time. It’s a constant battle. But that part of my mind I kept free has fought against it, and with each passing day, the whispers grow quieter. I am regaining control of my thoughts and subsequently my actions.”

“None of us really know much about indoctrination. Do you know anything?”

She shook her head. “No, and nor did Saren. He insisted the entire time he was not indoctrinated though it was blatantly obvious he was.”

“I would suggest tests but…”

“I would be hesitant regarding meddling with anything to do with the Reapers, Captain.”

He nodded. “Okay. So, you want to help, right the wrongs, as you said. Where would you like to go?”

She gave it a few seconds thought. “Eden Prime.” She noticed the raised eyebrows. “That is where this all began, is it not? I have read the colony was nearly destroyed. I wish to help rebuild it.”

“You’re sure about this?”

“It’s perhaps best if I return incognito.”

“Give me a few hours and I can certainly provide a different identity.” He looked her up and down. “And you’ll probably need to change your clothes. You’ll stand out anyway because you’re asari, but if you at least dress like a colonist, you might fit in a little better.” He paused again, before smirking. “Long way from being an all-powerful matriarch, Lady Benezia.”

“My fate is deserved, Captain. I have lived with centuries of privilege. Guess it’s just time I got my hands dirty, at least for a little while. Do you mind if I at least let my daughter know?”

“I don’t see that being a problem. We’ll organise a place for you to stay until your departure.”

“If it’s comfortable, I’ll just remain there until then. My face is too well-known now.”

Three days later, under an assumed identity, wearing clothes she would never have considered beforehand, with only a duffel bag full of similar clothing, and one or two things for comfort, she boarded a shuttle heading to the human colony world of Eden Prime. The local Alliance garrison knew she was coming and were prepared for her arrival.

Being an asari did have some advantages. They were incredibly friendly though surprised she had headed there to help. After time to settle in, nothing more than a simple pre-fab, she was shown around the colony and couldn’t help but feel guilty at the destruction. Her guides explained the destruction that took place, the number of deaths, but they also regaled her with the story of Shepard. She felt the corners of her mouth twitch at how they spoke of the man.

Life was certainly different on Eden Prime compared to Thessia. But after all that had happened, Matriarch Benezia knew she had to do the right thing.

* * *

**Shiala**

After the destruction of the _Normandy_, Shiala was one of those who did have a plan for what would happen after the mission was completed. Sure, she’d never planned for her life to change so suddenly. Like nearly everyone else who’d fought along his side against Saren, she had remained on the ship even after the destruction of Sovereign, though Shepard knew of her promise to eventually return to Feros. With thanks for the assistance but it was no longer required, she said her goodbyes to her colleagues on the Citadel and, with a little money as a gift from Benezia and Liara, she bought a used ship and headed to Feros.

By the time she arrived back on the planet, news of Shepard’s loss had even made it there. Everyone remembered her, at least, or at they remembered her promise, glad for the additional help though most did admit surprise she had returned at all.

Her contacts with humans as an acolyte for Lady Benezia had been few. She had seen and dealt with more salarians and turians over the years. Now surrounded by humans as the only asari on the colony, she thought they’d be suspicious of her, particularly how she had ended up there in the first place. But they proved nothing but welcoming, making sure deliveries of food included some asari delicacies, and made sure she had enough reminders of home in her small room in one of the many pre-fabs.

After settling in, she sat down with the colony leaders. Their request wasn’t a surprise. “We’d like you to be in charge of security,” Fai Dan requested, “You are or were an asari commando, correct?” She nodded. “To be honest, those of us left here are not fighters. Even the security guards can admit they were out-matched by geth.”

“I’m only one asari.”

“We’ve read about asari commando’s,” Lisbeth retorted gently, “One of you is worth ten soldiers.”

“I can also help otherwise.”

“Of course,” Fai Dan stated with a smile, “But we need protection too.”

“We’ll need more than just boots on the ground. We’ll need air defences.”

The humans around her shared glances. “Not sure how we can afford that.”

That made her smile. “Oh, I’m sure I can call in at least a few favours.” 

Those favours led to another four asari commandos arriving within three months, and a mysterious benefactor ensuring the colony was well supplied with provisions, in addition to defensive weapons, including rocket and machine gun turrets, while the Alliance also helped place orbital defences. That left the rest asking if Shiala had friends in high places. She could only shrug, admitting she’d only asked Liara for help, not exactly aware of what Liara was trying to achieve as their communication was limited.

But that wasn’t the amazing discovery made. It took time for it to develop, but one day as she was on routine patrol, she swore that she started to… feel, if not even hear what others were thinking. A pair of humans near a power conduit were discussing the needs of the colony, and in addition to their voices, she could almost hear what they were thinking. She passed another couple of humans on patrol, both smiling at her, and while they didn’t talk, she could hear what they were thinking, or so she thought. Part of her thought that maybe she was cracking up.

That wasn’t all, though. She had noticed a slight discolouration of her pigment. She had one been a healthy bluish-purple. But after a few months back at the colony, she started to notice her skin start to turn… green. She knew why immediately. It had to be the contact with the Thorian. And that no doubt explained why she could hear other people’s thoughts.

She sat down with Fai Dan and he smiled as she explained. “You’re not the only one, Shiala. We just wondered if you were going to experience what we all have.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“We wanted it to happen naturally, if it happened at all. But don’t you feel… connected to all of us now?”

Shiala would admit she did. Her asari colleagues were not present during the raid to capture or at least meld with the Thorian. But the spores had clearly infected those who had remained in the colony, and she now felt connected to the rest. It was an unusual feeling. In some ways similar to melding, but that was through a conscious decision. She could hear any thoughts around her simply through the shared connection.

Life fell into some sort of routine surprisingly quickly but it wasn’t long before she noticed small problems start to arise. Not around the colony. She was told that was soon even better than what it was before the geth attacked. No, it was the fact the colonists started to suffer medical problems, no doubt to do with exposure to the Thorian. After a few months, they were left with no option but to seek help from outside the colony. The only place she could think of to help was Illium, as it was the closest major world.

That would prove to be a mistake that could cost them all.

* * *

**Emily Wong**

She liked to consider herself the consummate professional, but after Shepard left to go hunt down geth, more than once she would find herself smiling away without realising, remembering the last few days they had spent together. Well, not days. He was far too busy for that, but they managed to snatch an hour or two together, and even an evening at least once. Emily Wong wasn’t stupid. She knew there were others, but for him, she was willing to put up with it for now.

Hard at work as always, she didn’t even hear the breaking news announcement until her manager placed a datapad in front of her without a word. She picked it up and felt ice down her spine as she read the words. She was a professional though, and immediately rose to her feet. “Sources?” she asked.

“Straight from the Alliance, Emily. The attack happened three days ago. The survivors are being transported here.”

“When do they arrive?”

“Within the hour. I’ve used up plenty of favours to get the information for you. I know…”

“That’s personal, Chief. But this is…” She now met his eyes and her face must have reflected a million emotions. “Is this reliable?” He nodded with a sag of his shoulders. “Are they sure he wasn’t on one of the pods?”

“I have the list of names, Emily. His isn’t listed.”

She couldn’t help sigh. But she wasn’t going to burst into tears in front of her colleagues. “You should head down to the docks. D-29. That’s where the ship will arrive with the survivors. Guess you’ll want to head down…” She nodded. “I have one other favour, if you’re up to it?”

“Name it.”

“Would you feel comfortable… writing his obituary? You knew him better than nearly anyone, particularly on the Citadel.”

“I will but I won’t go into personal…”

He held up a hand. “Wouldn’t ask you to.”

“I’ll get started once I’m back from the docks.”

She grabbed her coat, handbag and portable terminal before heading out of the office, hailing a cab and directing it towards the docks. She stared out the window, sucking in a few deep breaths, almost wishing the news was wrong. He couldn’t really be dead. Not after having taken down a Reaper and survived the Geth War.

The docks were packed with reporters from nearly every species jostling for position. She noticed a few rivals hanging around, some with cameras ready to interview. She had a voice recorder but, being honest with herself, she was there for purely selfish reasons.

The ship docked three-quarters of an hour later. Alliance brass had arrived by then, quickly ushering most of the survivors off and past the assembled journalists, everyone yelling out plenty of questions about what happened. Emily remained silent, meeting the eyes of a few. One she knew at least better than most, remembering her name as Ashley. The brunette noticed her standing within the crowd, whispering something to the soldier escorting her. Before she knew it, the marine walked over and pulled her into a hug, Emily sensing camera’s now focusing on her.

“I’m sorry,” Ashley whispered.

Emily closed her eyes and nodded without saying a word, simply closing the embrace. It was true…

“Ma’am…”

“Give me a few minutes, will you?” Ashley replied, rather harshly. The soldier escorting her, no doubt taken aback, nodded his agreement as Ashley turned back to her. “I’ll talk to you later, Emily. Off the record. I don’t want…” She glanced around, jaw firming. “Vultures, the lot of them.”

“Including me?”

“Shepard liked you, Emily. No, he didn’t think that.”

Emily wiped her eyes. “I’d ask what happened but…”

“Later. Trust me, there are a lot of unhappy people. Not only about losing Shepard, but the entire mission was bullshit.” Ashley sighed. “But I’d better shut up before I get in trouble.” She hugged her again. “I’ll keep in touch, okay?” Emily nodded again before the marine let her go and headed off quickly with the others. She recognised a few of them, some looking her way and nodding, at least.

She received a few questions in her direction but waved people away, quickly escaping into a nearby cab. Not wanting to return to the office, she headed back to her apartment, leaning back against the door once it was closed and locked, sinking to the ground and that’s when the emotion hit her. She ignored the beep of her omni-tool and the constant ding of her portable workstation. The only thing she did was drag herself to bed, where she mixed sleeping with crying in the darkness.

Still feeling awful the next day, she contacted her boss and told him she’d have something written by the end of the day. It was the hardest piece she’d ever written in her life, trying hard to keep it entirely objective. One or two personal feelings no doubt crept in the longer she typed, but she certainly didn’t let anyone know the fact she… loved him. She stopped typing when that emotion rolled through her body, but she managed to blink away the tears, keeping her mind focused on the task at hand. As promised, she had the piece written and sent off by the close of play, receiving a warm response from the editor for an emotional yet thought provoking piece. It would be the lead story the next morning.

Over the next few weeks, she kept an eye on the news outlets, particularly in regards to either Shepard, the Alliance or the Council. What happened incensed her. His name was practically dragged through the mud. Everything he had discovered considered a delusion, the Reaper, Sovereign, claimed to be a geth ship. Emily knew bullshit when she heard it. The Alliance proved nothing to be a disappointment, almost disavowing the first human Spectre.

Emily knew it wasn’t the geth that killed Shepard, as much as it wasn’t the geth that led the attack on the Citadel. After a meeting with her editor, who simply warned her to be careful but giving her leeway to pursue what she wanted, she opened her list of contacts and got to work. She would ensure Shepard and his warnings would not be forgotten.

* * *

**Gianna Parasini**

“I quit.”

Her boss looked up in surprise. “What?”

“I quit. I want out of here. I want off Noveria. I’ve had enough. I quit.”

“But… You can’t! You’re my best case officer. What you did regarding Anoleis will lead to a promotion soon enough.”

She shook her head. “I don’t care. I don’t want to remain on this planet one minute longer.”

Her boss leaned back, stroking his bear for a moment. “This is about Shepard.” She opened her mouth to retort but words failed her. “Word spread, Gianna. Everyone is aware you were intimate.”

“It was more than that,” she whispered. She looked up and noticed the surprised look returned. She almost smiled. “I loved him.”

“Oh….”

“And now I’m just left with reminders wherever I go, whether at home, at the office, or just walking along the street. And I just can’t do this job anymore. It’s time for a fresh start somewhere.”

“Where will you go?”

She shrugged, almost helpless. She hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll head back to Earth. See what opportunities are there. Look, I’m sorry if this leaves you in the lurch. I’ll see out the cooling off period then…”

“Sure you won’t change your mind?”

She shook her head again. “No. I’d leave tomorrow if I could, but I’ll make sure everything is tied off before I go.”

“Damn shame to lose you, Gianna.”

She returned a weak smile before she turned and headed back to her office, where she sat staring at her screen, no doubt a blank look in her eyes, before someone wandered in to give her a heads up on what was going on otherwise.

A month later, she finished her last day and headed back to her apartment, where nearly everything was packed up. She had no idea what she was going to do regarding work, but figured heading back to Earth to see her family would be nice, at least.

Time on Earth helped clear her mind. Her parents figured out quickly that she was grieving, and were surprised when she told them the truth. Sitting down with them made everything tumble out, and that’s when the tears really started to fall, admitting she was in love with him completely, and sure that he’d felt the same way about her. She could never thank her parents enough for the consoling they gave her over the next couple of weeks, helping mend her broken heart, at least a little bit.

Though she would have liked to stay on Earth, she was very much her own woman, and after allowing herself a little time to wallow in self-pity, she needed to get her mind and body back into something to get her mind off the thought of him. Her resumé was glowing, so finding a job shouldn’t prove too difficult, it was just a case of what and where. She was a cop, or at least an investigator, she knew that much. Find something that appealed to her strengths, something to keep her busy, her mind occupied, and perhaps not living alone would help as well.

She was in the process of casting her eyes over a few offers when she received a phone call.

“_Miss Parasini?”_

“Yes, who is this?”

_“Liara T’Soni. You may remember me from the Normandy. Not sure if we ever exchanged pleasantries, but I do remember you.”_

“No, we did speak briefly, Miss T’Soni. I am surprised by your call though. What is it in regards to?”

_“I’ve been informed you are no longer on Noveria and that you are currently pursuing new career opportunities.”_

“How did… How do you know this?”

_“I will be honest, Miss Para…”_

“Gianna.”

“_Okay, Gianna. I’m Liara. And I will be honest. I am an information broker, but more importantly, I am keeping an eye on the activities of those closest to Shepard. I am more than aware of the… affection you held for the Commander, as much as he had for you. When I read that you had departed Noveria, I was curious as to why. I’ve since learned you are looking for a new job.”_

“Shit, and here I thought…” She heard Liara giggle as she trailed off. “You offering me a job?”

_“No, not with my company, but I have many associates who could do with the services of a keen investigator such as yourself. Have you heard of Illium?”_

“I have, not all of it good, to be honest.”

_“And you would have reason to be cautious, but if I put in a good word for you, I will ensure you are… Well, let’s just say I look after those Shepard cared for.”_

“And what have I done to earn this… generosity?”

_“Nothing, Gianna. But I lived, worked and fought alongside Shepard. I remember our time on Noveria. I know he remembered it fondly, as I’m sure you do too.”_

“Understatement of the century,” she whispered, before clearing her throat, “What are my options?”

_“I can send through job specs once we close this call and we can correspond via messaging if you wish. More importantly, I figured you could perhaps do with… a friend.”_

“Part of me just wants to forget it all.”

“_And do you think you will?” _She couldn’t help scoff. She heard a sigh through the connection. “_Those of us who served alongside him felt the same way, Gianna.”_

“Send me what you have, Liara. I’ll have an answer by tomorrow evening at the latest.”

Closing the call a few seconds later, she soon had a flood of offers from Illium. Liara prefaced them all by making sure she read the fine-print, asking Gianna to send it to her first to give it a once over before agreeing to sign. The jobs Liara sent were fantastic, far better than what she’d been doing on Noveria, and certainly far better paid. Two eventually took her fancy over the others, so she sent those to Liara. The asari replied quickly, stating both contracts were above board, and it was simply her decision as to which one she wanted. She chose the one with more responsibility and money, thinking that should keep her busy, her mind occupied, so she didn’t have time to think…

Arriving on Illium a week later, she was greeted by Liara herself. Gianna was just going to bunk in a hotel until she could sort things out, but Liara proved to be incredibly generous, leading her to what appeared to be an upmarket part of Nos Astra, where an apartment had already been purchased in her name. Only a rental, and not too large, but it came furnished, with some terrific sights provided.

Gianna could only gaze out the window before stating, “I’m not sure what I’ve done to deserve all this.”

Liara stood beside her, gazing out as well. “Shepard looked after his friends, Gianna. I intend to carry that forward.”

“Thank you.”

The asari looked at her and smiled. “You’re welcome. Come on, we should head out and grab something to eat, if you’re hungry?”

“Ravenous. Food on ships hasn’t improved in centuries, it seems.”

That made the asari laugh as they headed out. Gianna may have lost Shepard, and she knew it would take a long time to get over that, but perhaps making a friend in Liara would help them both get over the loss.


	20. Book 2, Chapter 1 - Space Jesus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much like Book 1 of the Mass Effect novelisation, the majority of Book 2 will be from Shepard’s POV. However, I will sprinkle in occasional POV’s of other characters, I’m thinking mostly for their loyalty missions, just to switch things up a bit. So the first part of this will only be from Shepard’s.

_“Wake up, Commander.”_

I opened my eyes at the sound of the rather urgent voice. I expected to see… well, dark space, perhaps a few twinkling stars in the distance, the remains of my ship as it burned up in the atmosphere of the nearby planets. I didn’t expect to look around and find myself in some sort of laboratory. It definitely wasn’t a hospital, at least.

"_Shepard, do you hear me? Get off that table now. This facility is under attack!"_

_What facility? Where the hell am I?_ Still, I heard at least one explosion so figured I should get up. Heaving myself up, I sat on the edge of the table, looking down to see my groin was covered, but I was otherwise naked. I took a moment to look up and down my body. There was some scarring, but not scars I recognised. Running a finger over a couple, I swear there was something glowing under my skin. Raising a hand to my face, I trailed a fingertip along what felt like another scar.

_"Shepard. Your scars aren't healed but I need to get you moving."_

Looking around, there wasn’t anything I could dress myself in, nor arm myself to stop whatever was causing the explosions. “Need a little help here, lady!”

"_Your armour is in a locker nearby. You should find a pistol in there as well_."

"Pistol? Forget that. What about an assault rifle?"

"_Not necessary, Shepard. Now hurry!"_

_Not necessary? Like fuck it isn’t if I’m under attack!_ But it wasn’t really the time to argue, walking towards and opening the locker. There was some underwear, a t-shirt I could throw on, before I assembled myself in the armour. It was fairly basic, jet black, without any markings. Grabbing the pistol, my eye immediately took in the design. Something wasn’t right. There was no heat sink.

“What’s up with this pistol?” I wondered.

_“New design, Shepard. I can’t explain it, but you’ll have to find a thermal clip.”_

“Clip? You mean ammo now runs out? That’s just…”

I heard the groan. _“Now isn’t the time, Shepard. Just find a clip.”_

“Could really do with an assault rifle,” I muttered, head down as I made my way out of what seemed to be a med bay.

It didn’t take long to run into the enemy, a bunch of mechs that walked like zombies, intent on filling me with plenty of holes. I knew they were more VI than AI so figured they’d been hacked. That just left me with more questions as I glanced to see at least three of them converging. “I’m stuck here without any ammo!”

“_Use your biotics.”_

“I’m not a fucking biotic!”

_“You are now. Try a control gesture and throw a warp. All you need to do is focus and your biotics will work.”_

I had no real idea what she meant but I figured it couldn’t hurt. Waiting until they stopped firing for a second, I stood up and threw what I thought was a warp. Whatever I did throw was bloody powerful, as two of them went down, the third swinging around to fire at me. I waited until the perfect time and did the same thing. Once that was also on the ground, I quickly leapt out of cover and grabbed a thermal clip, slipping it into my pistol, grabbing a few spares at the same time. _Well, this is just bloody stupid…_

Moving forward, I kept to cover, taking down any mech dumb enough to get in the way. As I moved, the voice directed me where to go, letting me know when mechs were closing on my position, explaining that I needed to get to the shuttle bay. I definitely wasn’t in a hospital, so was left wondering exactly where I was.

I eventually found a grenade launcher, which didn’t have enough ammo to bother keeping it for long. As I moved on, I did quickly check terminals for any indication as to where I was. But there was nothing about that gave me a clue. All I knew is that mechs were trying to kill me and the lady guiding me seemed to have my best interests in mind, though she was rather short and abrupt most of the time.

Then I stumbled across the first survivor of whatever was happening and I recognised the symbol immediately, sitting on his chest. Before I could ask any questions, or just put a bullet through his head, we came under fire from more mechs, so it seemed the mechs didn’t care who they were shooting at. Once they were all dead, surprising I could send a warp across the clearing, I turned and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him up and surprising myself as I soon had his feet dangling off the ground.

“You’re Cerberus!” I growled, “Give me one good reason I don’t throw you over the edge right now.”

“Everyone else gave up on you, Commander,” he wheezed, “Cerberus didn’t.”

_Shit…_ Even though I was amazed by my own strength, I met his eyes and they appeared honest. I’d never spoken to many Cerberus operatives. I’d usually killed them without much thought. But I still remembered everything they’d done. Lowering him down, I released his throat, though kept my pistol in hand. “Right, explain to me now what the fuck is going on.”

“Two years, Commander.”

“Two years what?”

“You were spaced, Commander. When you were brought back here, you were dead, or as dead as dead can be. Nothing but a meat bag. Cerberus has spent two years rebuilding you. Alliance declared you KIA within a few days of the attack. Council and Alliance gave up on you. We didn’t.”

“What about my team?”

The other man shrugged. “Spread to the four winds, far as I know. I don’t really know the details.”

I could have put a bullet in him and been done with it, but if even half of what he said was true, then I had few allies remaining. Though I wouldn’t give Cerberus the time of day. Until I was off wherever I was though, I would have to make do with what was available. “Right, I don’t know my way around here. I’m going to need your help.”

“That’s why I’m here, Commander.”

Before he could continue, his radio crackled into life, speaking to someone called Wilson. After a quick conversation, we moved on, and that’s when I asked him about the stupid new design. What he told me made at least a little sense.

“The turians designed a universal heat sink that could be used in any weapon. A heat sink that can be used in a pistol can be used in a sniper rifle and vice versa. Once a weapon has expended the energy of the heat sink, it will automatically pop and a new heat sink can be placed within seconds. It's certainly a more efficient design and overheating is no longer a problem.”

“Hmmm. Not so sure about that but I’ll take your word for it.”

“Might take getting used to but you’ll soon see it’s worth it.”

We moved on, taking down more mechs as explosions continued to echo around us. I was left thinking wherever we were was bound to blow up eventually. The other male finally introduced himself during a moment of silence, his name being Jacob Taylor, a Cerberus operative. He certainly had training, with biotic capabilities, and I was left thinking he must have had at least some form of military training. We certainly managed to link up more than once.

“I’m sure the biotics are a surprise,” he stated, “We’ll organise some training later on so you can adapt.”

“What sort of biotic am I?”

“A vanguard, Commander. You’ll definitely need some training to understand your new capabilities.”

“And why am I now a biotic?”

“It was a decision taken by the Illusive Man during your reconstruction. You’ve been given the best biotic implant possible. No headaches, unbelievable power. Once you begin to learn and master your abilities, you’ll give most asari a run for their money.”

“No shit?”

“I don’t know the whole story, Commander, but billions have been spent to bring you back.” That’s when he finally met my eyes. “And you’ll know why.”

Thankfully, I wasn’t completely stupid. “The Reapers.”

He nodded. “Aye, the Reapers. The Illusive Man believes, Commander.”

As we moved on, we ran into another survivor by the name of Wilson. He mentioned another possible survivor by the name of Miranda, left believing she was the voice that had guided me at the beginning, though I hadn’t heard her voice in quite a while. With three of us, we mowed down the mechs without any difficulty, though I didn’t lead the way. They might have spent billions on me, but I didn’t trust any of them enough not to take a bullet in the back, so I let Jacob lead the way forward, keeping my eye on both with me.

Finally making it to the shuttle bay, the door opened to reveal an attractive, raven-haired though rather pale woman, dressed in a white and black skin-tight suit, with what I immediately recognised as a fantastic set of tits. She turned towards us, raised her weapon, and fired. The bullet passed myself and Jacob, hitting Wilson in the head. I raised my weapon straight away. “The fuck?”

“He was a traitor,” she replied simply.

I kept my weapon raised as I glanced at Jacob. “You reckon?”

“Miranda is rarely wrong, Commander.”

I glanced back at her, a smirk forming. “Jacob, I’m never wrong. And I don’t like having a weapon aimed at me, Commander.”

“You’re Cerberus.”

She sighed, looking back at Jacob. The dark-skinned man shrugged. “He figured it out himself. Thought he was going to kill me, to be honest.”

“Still deciding on that,” I muttered, not lowering my weapon, “Who are you?” I asked.

“Miranda Lawson. The is Project Lazarus. I’ve spent two years putting you back together, Commander. Are you going to lower your weapon or not?”

“That depends on you. I have one simply question. Why?”

She shrugged. “Not for me to say. You’ll have to ask the Illusive Man.” She thumbed behind her. “There’s a shuttle that can take us so you can speak with him.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Well, you can stay here if you want.”

“I have the gun. I can easily leave you two here.”

She sighed, no doubt already exasperated. “Look, Commander. All I know is that I’ve just spent two years of my life putting you back together. We’ve made you stronger, faster, better. Given you new abilities. You are now capable of great feats. We need you in the fight against the Reapers.”

That made his weapon lower slightly. “And the biotics?”

“I understand it’s a surprise, but it was a decision taken in your interests only.” I scoffed which made her scowl. “Look, believe me or don’t, I honestly don’t care. But I think you owe it to the Illusive Man to at least hear him out considering he’s the only one who bothered bringing you back.”

I met her eyes for more than a few seconds. “Shit,” I muttered, finally lowered the weapon completely, “Guess you have a point.”

“I figured you’d see it that way.” She gestured with her head. “Pilot is already on board. Jacob, you coming too?”

I let her go first, still not wanting to expose myself. I figured if they were telling the truth, they wouldn’t put a bullet in my back, but I wasn’t willing to trust Cerberus, though I was left wondering what the Illusive Man actually wanted with me…

* * *

The massive red but dying star of Anadius provided the only light in the otherwise dark room. A bank of holographic screens provided an almost unlimited supply of information regarding activities around the galaxy. Maybe a coup in one system. An assassination in another. A successful scientific experiment completed. Perhaps the embezzlement of a few million credits in another front company. It was all there, yet he had no eye for these at the moment.

The middle-aged human male sat in his expensive yet rather simple looking chair with his back to the screens, only darkness in front of him. In his right hand was a cigarette. He brought it to his mouth and took a long drag, sucking the smoke deep down into his lungs, savouring the taste, before he blew out, expelling the smoke as it slowly faded away. He loved smoking. He loved it as it pissed off a lot of people, having been outlawed in many places throughout the galaxy. Because he loved smoking, he always smoked the most expensive brand. And the best.

To his left on a small side table was a glass tumbler. Within the tumbler were four large ice cubes. Surrounding the ice cubes was an amber liquid. Bourbon. On the rocks. The best, and as far as he was concerned, the only way to drink bourbon. But it had to be good bourbon. Expensive bourbon. Smooth down the throat, with only a slight burning sensation as it settled in your stomach.

He flicked ash from the cigarette into an ashtray as he took another drag of his cigarette and continued to wait. He was a patient man. He had already been notified of events that happened on Lazarus Station. He was aware that Commander Shepard had managed to escape with the help of two of his operatives. _Miranda has done well. Far better than even I expected. She will go far with us. Jacob has proven to be a worthy addition to the cause. Shame the trust is not there but as long as he does the business, then it's a paycheque at the end of the day. But they did their jobs._

_Shepard is alive._

Commander Shepard alive was step one. Investing Commander Shepard in his mission was step two. And far more difficult, in his opinion, than step one. He was more than aware of the Commander's one-man war against his organisation while he chased Saren two years before. Shepard still didn't know the whole truth about Cerberus. And that suited the Illusive Man just fine. Whether Shepard would ever become a believer in his cause was doubtful. But to have Shepard as an ally? The possibilities were endless if that came to pass.

"Boss, Commander Shepard is attempting communication," called one of his staff. He was simply known as 'Boss'. Being called 'The Illusive Man' would just sound silly. And absolutely no-one knew of his personal history before Cerberus. No-one knew his name, where he was born or even what he did prior to Cerberus. Anyone who did manage to find out would find themselves in a deep, dark hole in a far-away planet, lonely and forgotten. The past was not worth worrying about as far as the Illusive Man was concerned. It was only about the future.

Humanity's future.

He took another drag of his cigarette as assorted lights on the ceiling started to shine, illuminating his features slightly, as the holographic display of Commander Shepard, looking around slightly confused, appeared before him.

"Commander Shepard."

He watched the hologram of Shepard look ahead as his own display would now appear to him. He watched him fold his arms across his chest, a smirk appearing across his face. _"Ah, so you're the Illusive Man. I thought we'd be meeting face-to-face. Though I'm sure you'd know how that would end. Very quickly." _Shepard took out his pistol and looked at it almost reverently. _"A bullet from this gun would enter your face and then I would have to resist pissing on your corpse."_

The Illusive Man took another drag of his cigarette as he took in his words._ I was expecting hostility but even this is a surprise. I wonder how Miranda and Jacob handled him._

The Illusive Man simply chuckled for a mere moment. "Well consider this a necessary precaution. Not unusual for people who know what you and I know."

_"If you're expecting a 'thank you' for me being alive, then you're going to be extremely disappointed. I was quite content being dead. I'd done my job. My duty. All I ever wanted after I died was for my body to be burned up and then stuck in a hole in the ground and quietly forgotten. And if you think I'm ever going to trust you or any of the clowns you have working for you,"_ Shepard chuckled, _"You are seriously mistaken."_

"You need to put your personal feelings aside, Shepard."

_"Fuck you. And that's Commander to you, as well. While we're at it, why don't I list my personal feelings."_ He watched as the Commander held up a hand and subsequent fingers, counting them off. _"Admiral Kahoku. Corporal Toombs. Edolus. Binthu. Nepheron. Chasca. Nodacrux. Should I continue?"_

He didn't miss the fact Shepard left his middle finger up at the end. The Illusive Man took another drag of his cigarette. _This is going to be more difficult than even I imagined._ "Commander, humanity is up against the greatest threat of our brief existence."

The smirk disappeared from his face as Shepard raised an eyebrow and nodded. _"The Reapers,"_ he stated matter-of-factly. _That got his attention. At least he remembers that._

"Good to see your memory's still intact. How are you feeling?"

_"How about we just get down to business as I'm obviously here for a reason. I know you've invested money in me so you think you've earned the right to ask me personal questions. You haven't. Just tell me whatever it is you have to say."_

"Cerberus isn't as evil as you believe, Commander. You and I are on the same side; we just have different methods."

_"Could have fooled me. Although I did spend nearly a year killing many of your operatives. So I guess I was doing some good at least. Yeah, those are some fond memories. Really enjoyed wiping out some of your operations. You hired some right fucking assholes."_

"Commander…"

Shepard sighed. _"Fine. What are the Reapers up to that made you decide to bring me back?"_

_Finally, we can get to business. I wonder if he's going to be this hostile going forward. He'd better not be otherwise I'll have to reconsider._ He stood up out of his chair, taking another drag from his cigarette as he approached the hologram. "We're at war, Commander. No-one wants to admit it, but humanity is under attack."

He could see that perked his interests as Shepard appeared thoughtful for a moment. _"How do you mean?"_

"While you've been sleeping, entire colonies have been disappearing. Human colonies. We believe it is someone working for the Reapers. Just as Saren and the geth aided Sovereign. You've seen it yourself. You bested all of them. That's just one reason why we chose you."

_"I'm just one man. Why don't you work with the Alliance? They have plenty of forces that can be mobilised for protection."_

"The Alliance suffered substantial losses fighting Sovereign. They're rebuilding and are stretched too thin to waste resources verifying the Reaper threat."

_"That I remember,"_ Shepard said quietly, and the Illusive Man took note of the bitterness in his tone.

"They're currently blaming these abductions on mercenaries and pirates. Far easier and more convenient."

_"And a possible explanation and far easier to believe than a Reaper threat."_ Shepard was quiet for a moment, as if deep in thought, while the Illusive Man took another drag from his cigarette. He simply waited for his next question. _"Okay, level with me here. Why me? For the amount of credits you spent bringing me back, you could have funded an entire army. And, let's be honest, I don't like you. Yeah, yeah, I don't actually know you. But seriously, I don't like you. And I definitely don't like your organisation. You should know I'm not going to cooperate with you."_

"That we'll see, Commander. However, as to why. Let's just say that you're unique. Not just in ability or what you've experienced. It's what you represent. You stood for humanity at a key moment. You're more than a soldier. You're a symbol."

Shepard shook his head. _"I'm not a hero. I'm not a symbol. I'm just a soldier. I'm just one man…"_

"That's where you're wrong, Commander. You're much more than just a man to many people. Not just in the Alliance but also within my organisation. I don't know if the Reapers understand fear, but you killed one. They have to respect that."

_"But a few missing colonists isn't exactly harvesting all organic life in the galaxy."_

"Hundreds of thousands of colonists have vanished, Commander. I'd say that fits the definition of 'harvesting'."

_"Seriously? Hundreds of thousands?"_

The Illusive Man nodded. _He's interested at least. If he wasn't, he wouldn't be asking questions otherwise._

_"And no-one has noticed a pattern?"_

"No. The abductions are completely random and occur in remote locations."

_"Why are they attacking humanity?"_

"That's what we don't know and what we intend to find out. I can only assume that you got their attention when you killed one of them."

_"Why are you involved?"_

"Cerberus are committed to the advancement and preservation of humanity. If the Reapers are targeting us, trying to wipe us out, Cerberus will stop them."

Silence again descended as Shepard appeared to chew on his words. The Illusive Man simply took another drag of his cigarette. _You're human, Shepard. It's a human problem. You may not buy into Cerberus but you'll want to help humanity. You'll want to fight. You'll want to protect the innocent. And you'll want to protect the colonists. I know you, Shepard. I've got your entire history on file. This is a fight you will want to be in. This is a fight you will want to win._

He heard Shepard sigh. _"If what you say is true, if the Reapers are behind this then and if colonists are disappearing without a known cause, and if... and this is a big fucking if, but if the Alliance and the Council are unable or unwilling to help, then… fuck, I can't believe I'm going to say this, I may consider helping. I'm a human. This is a human problem. I'd feel like a complete ass if I sat on the sidelines and didn't help, though I'm also going to feel like a fucking hypocrite helping you."_

The Illusive Man just took a drag on his cigarette, pondering his words. _That was almost easier than I expected. I doubt he'll ever trust me but if he does the job, then so be it. _The Illusive Man then took another drag of his cigarette as he turned and walked back to his chair, taking a seat as he grabbed hold of his glass tumbler.

"Don't take my word for it, Commander. I'd be disappointed if you accepted any of this without seeing for yourself. I have a shuttle ready to take you to Freedom's Progress, the latest colony to be abducted. Miranda and Jacob will brief you."

Shepard laughed. _"You expect me to trust them? Miranda is a cold-hearted bitch. Learned that within a few minutes of talking to her. Jacob's nothing more than a mercenary. Figured he has some military training, but sold out whoever trained him. Quite frankly I'd rather work alone."_

"Miranda saved your life in more ways than one. She deserves your thanks, at least. As for Jacob, he's a soldier. One of my best. He's never fully trusted me, and to his credit, he's always been honest about it. You don't have to trust me or them for the moment, Commander. But you'll be fine with them for now."

_"Do I have a choice, or am I being 'volunteered'?"_

"You always have a choice. If you don't find the evidence we're both looking for, we can part ways. All I can do is ask that you go to Freedom's Progress. Find any clues you can. Who's abducting the colonists? Do they have any connection to the Reapers? I brought you back for one reason, Commander. It's up to you to do the rest."

Shepard said nothing else but gave a slight nod of the head as if in agreement. Satisfied that he had nothing more to say, the Illusive Man keyed a code on a small holographic display on his chair and the hologram of Shepard disappeared. The Illusive Man took a sip of bourbon from his glass tumbler, feeling the liquid slightly burn on its way down his throat before settling in his stomach. He then followed that with another drag from his cigarette before he turned his chair around and looked at the massive red ball glowing only a few million kilometres away.

* * *

Miranda and Jacob gave me all the details about the Collectors they could during the shuttle ride to Freedom’s Progress. Apparently it was one of a number of colonies to go silent, though this was the first time Cerberus had opportunity to investigate before the Alliance turned up. Other than that, neither had too much to say, at least for now. Miranda was hopeful, even confident that we’d find something. Jacob tried to be positive but I had a feeling this wasn’t their first rodeo regarding the disappearance of an entire colony.

I led the way out of the shuttle after it had touched down. At least I’d managed to grab some other weapons after speaking with the Illusive Man. Having not had an opportunity to train, Jacob and Miranda had given me the basics, but suggested I just go ‘old school’ to start, Miranda offering to train me in the correct use of my biotics. That made me smirk, she said it was to simply ensure I was making use of all my abilities. Wise words, and I agreed to a heavy training regime after the mission.

The colony was eerily quiet, and I learned what they had before. No bodies. No real sign of what had caused their disappearance. There wasn’t any sign of violence. But there were small signs that something had happened, and quickly. But any thoughts were put to the back of my mind when mechs started to fire upon us.

“They shouldn’t be firing at us!” Miranda muttered as she unleashed her biotics.

We fought our way forward, my assault rifle adding to the cacophony of noise, Miranda mixing up biotics with bursts of machine gun fire, Jacob the same, though he preferred a shotgun. Moving our way towards the centre of the colony, we passed through abandoned homes, shops and what looks like warehouses. It was still deadly quiet except for when the mechs woke up. Even I would admit it was a little unsettling…

What I didn’t expect us to run into halfway through the colony was a bunch of quarians, leaving me to wonder _What the fuck are they doing here?_ I thought we were going to end up in a firefight, as the quarians had itchy trigger fingers, while Miranda and Jacob both had weapons raised, ready to fire if necessary… or ordered.

Then from behind the line that had formed stepped someone I remembered. The colour of her suit was something very familiar. As was the voice. And she’d definitely gotten bossy in the intervening two years. He gestured to his colleagues. “Hold fire,” he ordered, immediately noticing the jerk of her head, definitely recognising his voice in return.

"What are quarians doing on Freedom's Progress, Commander?" Miranda asked, which was a reasonable question under the circumstances.

"I'm not sure. Why don't we ask them?" I asked, looking back at Tali as I removed by helmet. I think she almost fainted upon seeing my face. I’d look in a mirror, so could understand the shock. “Long time, no see, Tali.”

“Shepard? Is that you?”

“Yeah, I’m sure you have a whole bunch of questions right about now. But let me answer what I think you want to know. Yes, I’ve been gone two years. I’ve been dead, or as close to it as possible. Meat bag is what I was told. No, I’m not working with Cerberus, despite the fact the people beside me wear that symbol. Long story short, I’ve just woken up, I’ve been sent here to look for colonists, we were not expecting to find quarians instead.”

She lifted her pistol, every other quarian doing the same. “How do I know it’s really you?”

“You were involved in an intimate relationship with Ashley. You also loved looking at Wrex’s massive cock. And we’ve fucked more than once. Plus, I gave you the data as a pilgrimage gift. That sound like someone who wouldn’t know you rather intimately, Tali. I remember I know how to make you squeal, that’s for damn sure.”

The pistol dropped immediately. “Are we seriously going to trust him?” one of her squad asked.

“Trust me, it’s Shepard,” she said in a husky tone. _Bet her mind just flooded with memories. Feels like only yesterday for me_.

Before Tali could ask any more questions, I took control of situation, asking why they were also present on Freedom’s Progress. Figuring I would at least be helpful, she told me about a young quarian by the name of Veetor who lived within the colony. They were there to look and hopefully rescue him. They’d also run into mechs too, so we agreed to join forces. Neither side was happy about it, though I pulled rank on Jacob and Miranda, while Tali told anyone who didn’t agree could wait in the shuttle. _Damn, she’s rather feisty when in charge. Makes her even sexier._

Splitting up, the quarians taking a circle route, while we went straight up the middle, the next few minutes were spent dealing with mechs and investigating the colony. We found no sign of any colonists nor of who had taken them. The fact we found half eaten meals, vidscreens left on, but no sign of any domicile being ransacked, simply left more questions than answers.

Of course, the quarians were never going to agree to working with Cerberus. Didn’t really blame them all that much, but Tali tuned into my radio, not sure how as I never gave her the frequency, and told me that her squad had marched on. I ordered my two to move faster, and we ran out into a large area, which appeared to be a loading dock, with factories and machinery everywhere, and also an enormous mech that was tearing her squad apart.

Without a heavy weapon to use, we had to get creative. Tali was in cover behind some steel crates, doing her best to hack into the mech. Jacob and Miranda were firing warps as its shields. I had biotics but doing the same as them was pointless.

“You can do a biotic charge, Shepard,” Miranda suggested.

“I can a biotic what now?”

“I didn’t want to have you do it in the middle of a battle field, but no time like the present. You’ve got a shotgun?” I nodded. “The charge will have you slam into the mech, taking down its shields, perhaps even knocking it back. That’ll give you time to fire off a few rounds in close. Might even force a few systems to shut down.”

I glanced at Tali. “Reckon you can take its shields?”

“Yes, Shepard. I take those down, you do your charge.”

“Right. Let’s do it then.”

Miranda gave me the basics of how to perform a biotic charge. I basically just had to think it, do some sort of gesture, and then it would happen. The biotic flare upon impact would keep me protected, though the mech could still return fire with me close in. I peeked over cover and checked for any weak spots. “What do you think, just its centre mass. Looks relatively unarmoured. Get the barrel in close and blam, job done. Then I’ll get into cover and leave it to you.”

So that’s what we did. Once Tali gave me the go, I did as Miranda instructed and practically flew across the docking bay, shotgun raised, ready for a sickening collision. There was a louder noise than I expected as we collided, but the mech actually staggered back slightly, giving me enough time to raise my shotgun, place it perfectly, then unload the entire clip. Before it could react, I turned and ran for cover as I felt it fire as I ran, leaping over cover. Switching to my assault rifle, I returned fire again, though my charge and shotgun had left it with all manner of problems, watching it spark time and again as tech attacks now rained down on it. I focused on its head, so to speak, with enough bullets eventually shooting the thing off, the mech finally collapsing and exploding into parts.

The others stepped out of cover as Tali immediately started to check on her people. Jacob met my eyes, grinned slightly and shook his head. Miranda returned a blank look as expected, and it didn’t take us too long to find Veeter, secluded in an airtight chamber nearby. He knew we were coming, and was obviously nervous of our presence. I was fairly sure he was in the middle of a nervous breakdown.

It was a question and answer session of what he had seen. I was amazed he was still on the colony, but he played video for us, having hacked the cameras around the colony to show exactly what had taken them all.

"My God. I think it's a Collector!" Miranda gasped.

"What's a Collector?" I asked. Knew what Reapers were, didn’t know what a Collector was.

"They're an alien species from beyond the Omega 4 relay, Commander. No-one has ever really seen one before," Jacob replied.

"They usually work through intermediaries, like slavers or hired mercenaries. If they're involved with the Reapers somehow, it could explain what happened with the colonists, Commander," Miranda added.

"The Collectors have advanced technology. They could have a weapon that disables an entire settlement at once,” Jacob continued.

Watching the video further, it was obvious what the Collectors had done and how the colonists had been taken without leaving a trace of evidence. "The seeker swarms. No-one can hide. The seekers find you. Freeze you. Then the monsters take you away," the quarian explained.

"How did you escape, Veetor?" I asked.

"Swarms couldn't find me. Monsters didn't know I was here."

"Hmmm. Interesting. Maybe it was the enviro-suit worn by the quarians that protected him," Jacob suggested.

"And technology used by the Collectors may be designed to only target humans. It makes sense," Miranda added.

"Okay, Veetor, what happened with the colonists?" I asked.

"The monsters took the people onto the ship, and then they left. The ship flew away. But they'll be back for me. No-one escapes!"

"You'll be okay, Veetor. They are not coming back," I said, hoping to reassure the clearly frightened quarian with a friendly pat on the shoulder, "And thanks. You've been very helpful."

"I studied them. The monsters. The swarms. I recorded them with my omni-tool. Lots of readings. Electro-magnetic. Dark energy," he said as he started keying his omni-tool.

"We need that information, Shepard. Grab the quarian, call the shuttle, and we'll get out of here," Miranda practically ordered. I gave her a look of _And who is giving the orders around here?_

"Like hell you will!" Tali shouted as she stormed into the room behind us, causing all of us to turn around in surprise. "Veetor needs medical attention. He needs treatment, not an interrogation!"

"We won't hurt him," Jacob stated, trying to placate a clearly furious quarian, which I found more amusing than anything, "We just need to see if he knows anything else. He'll be returned unharmed."

Miranda then spoke up. "Your people tried to betray us once already. If we give him to you, we'll never get the intel we need." _Damn it, she’s got a point there._

"Prazza was an idiot, and he and his men paid for it. Take Veetor's omni-tool data, but leave Veetor with us. Shepard, please?" Tali pleaded, only looking at me.

"Of course, Tali." I replied, turning towards my ‘colleagues’. "Veetor goes back to the flotilla. The omni-tool data will have all the information we need. A clearly traumatized person will not be the greatest source of information." Miranda definitely wanted to retort but as I simply said, “Return to the shuttle for departure. I’ll be along shortly. Before you ask, what I’ll be talking about with Tali is none of your damned business.”

“Right away, Commander,” Jacob said, basically having to drag an infuriated Miranda away.

Tali was giving orders to her own people, a couple of quarians appearing to escort Veetor back to their shuttle. Once we were alone, I removed my helmet again and leaned back against the desk. I had no idea how long I’d been awake for now, but it had already been one hell of a long day.

“So, Cerberus, Shepard. Really?”

“I know how it looks, Tali. Trust me, I’ve only been awake a few hours.”

“Wouldn’t have guessed considering what you did out there.” She paused before adding, “You weren’t a biotic before either.”

“Yep, another idea of the Illusive Man.”

“Illusive… You mean the man who runs Cerberus?”

“Yep. Spoken to him already. Full of shit, of course, but when he told me about what’s going on here, I had to come and see for myself. About this, he wasn’t lying.” I stretched, feeling muscles that hadn’t been used in two years starting to tighten up already. “Don’t suppose you can come along?”

“No, Shepard, and not just because of Cerberus. I’ve got my own mission now. It’s important to my people. And you’ve been gone a long time now.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Sure you can trust them?” That question made me laugh, which answered it for her. “Good to see you, Shepard. All I can ask is that you stay safe while working with them, because I remember what we were doing before you died.”

“Oh, he knows all about that. He thinks he can put a leash on me. He’ll learn soon enough I do what I want.” I picked up my helmet and gestured to the door. “Will your people be okay getting out of here?”

“Yes, we’ll be fine. We’ll head straight back for the Fleet, report what we’ve found. If Veetor has anything else, I’ll send it to you.”

“Send it to my old Alliance email account, if it’s still working. I’ll find some way of gaining access to it. Don’t want these idiots getting the information before I see it.”

They’d picked up the bodies, the few survivors waiting on the shuttle for her. We hugged briefly before she stepped onto the shuttle, turning around. “Stay safe, Shepard. And good luck.”

“You too, Tali. I’ll see you soon.”

I waited until their shuttle was in the air, ready to disappear, before I dared walk to my shuttle. Taking off my helmet before boarding, Miranda and Jacob were in place, and soon we were taking off, heading back to where we had left earlier. Minuteman Station, I’d heard Jacob call it. Whatever the case, I just stared out the window and ignored the presence of the other two, racking my brain over what to do next.

Two years is a long time. Everyone I knew would have moved on, and I wasn’t just speaking of those who served with me on the _Normandy,_ though I immediately thought of people like Liara, Shiala and Ashley. Then there was Emily and Gianna…

“Penny for your thoughts, Commander?” Jacob asked.

“I just want to report to the Illusive Man what we’ve found, then what the next step is.”

“You’re convinced.”

“About the abductions? Of course. But it was all too neat. I think he already knew who was behind it. I’m not an idiot, I know when I’m being used.”

“He would have no reason…”

I glared at her and she surprisingly shut up. “Look, I know your head is firmly up his arse but I’m not going to listen to you spin bullshit all the time. You’ve seen my file, you know I won’t put up with anyone’s shit, in particularly someone who thinks he can order me around. I don’t see a rank on his shoulders, and I don’t see one of mine. There is no structure of command I am following, nor am I expected to follow orders. I did this as a goodwill gesture. So unless I am made one hell of a firm fucking offer, I will say thank you for bringing me back, for whatever reasons you have, but I’ll be heading home now.”

“And where is home?” Miranda retorted.

“The Alliance.”

“They gave up on you, Shepard. Within days. To them, you’re dead. Body burned up in space, nothing but a plaque on the wall. The Council gave even less of a shit than you. First human Spectre, barely remembered.”

“Well, aren’t you just fucking peachy.”

“You wanted honesty, Shepard. There’s your honesty. Everyone else gave up on you. Cerberus didn’t. Maybe chew on that for the rest of the shuttle ride.”

Damn, she certainly was feisty and she simply glared back when I met her eyes. So I moved my eyes from there down her face, her neck, over her chest, which was rather ample, down her body, which certainly had curves in all the right places, then down her legs, which she kept crossed, all the way to the boots she wore, with the ridiculous heel, then all the way back up. When I met her eyes again, the look was even better, verging on fury, which simply forced me to return a grin.

“The Illusive Man will want to talk when we get back, Shepard,” Jacob told me.

“Good. Because I’ll be having a few words with him as well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shepard is a biotic! Yay?!


	21. Book 2, Chapter 2 - Omega

I was right, of course. I’m not always right, I’ve been wrong more times than I count, but I know a bullshit artist when I heard one, and the Illusive Man was already proving to be the greatest weaver of bullshit I’ve had the displeasure of listening to. Of course he knew about the Collectors being responsible for the abductions.

"I had my suspicions, but I needed the proof,” he explained, “The Collectors are enigmatic at best. They periodically travel to the Terminus Systems, looking to gather seemingly unimportant items or specimens. Usually in exchange for their technology. When their transactions are complete, they disappear as quickly as they arrived; back beyond the unmapped Omega Four relay. Until now, we've had no evidence of direct aggression by the Collectors."

I was ready to chew him out, but he’d already offered new information. “What’s the Omega Four?” I had to ask.

“We assume it leads to the Collector homeworld. However, no ship that's ever passed through the relay has returned to let us know what is on the other side.”

"Any idea why a ship has never returned?"

"Our best guess is that the relay reacts differently to Collector vessels, allowing them safe passage. If they can manipulate relays, that's just further evidence of their connection with the Reapers."

At least he was speaking sense regarding that. The Reapers would have pawns ready to do what they wanted if they were trapped in space.

"Okay, why the sudden interest in humanity? We've barely been on the scene for thirty years. The turians are probably the biggest military threat, the salarians regarding science, and the asari regarding Machiavellian politics. Surely those three are the bigger threats?"

"It could for any number of reasons. The most obvious, however, is that humanity played the largest role in Sovereign's destruction. I'm sure that drew their attention." I could only nod his head in agreement. The Alliance had sacrificed many ships and men to ensure the destruction of the Reaper. That would definitely have put the bullseye on us. "What really concerns me is why bother abducting the colonists. Once the humans are paralysed, why not just kill them?"

"I'm glad they're not. I'd just like to find them alive, if possible."

"On that we can agree, Commander. Despite what you may believe, I want to help and protect the colonists. They are humans, just like you and me."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Again, it was just all too neat, like he already knew everything, but was simply drip-feeding it to me so I was kept interested and on his side. I knew I was being played, martialled into a position where I would need to co-operate with him. The idea made me sick as I had a bad feeling already nestling in my gut that it was exactly what I would end up doing. "Listen, it appears you already have it all figured out. What aren't you telling me?"

"The patterns are there, buried in the data. The Council and the Alliance want to believe the Reaper threat died with Sovereign. You and I know better."

“The Council?”

“Full deniability. The Alliance forwarded Donnel Udina as the candidate. I understand you didn’t have the best of relationships?”

“Understatement. So I guess he denied everything?”

“They haven’t quite written you off as insane, but the Reaper hypothesis has been completely rejected.”

I suddenly felt very alone. The Council had basically written me off as a crank, and even if I returned, I’m sure they’d have a million and one questions. As for the Alliance, what would they do with me? The _Normandy_ was gone, and I doubt I’d be given my own command after two years in the wilderness. First I’d be interrogated, and I’m not sure they’d believe the whole ‘I was dead for two years but Cerberus rebuilt me’. Would probably sound as insane as the Reaper hypothesis to them. I had maybe a few allies in the Alliance, those who survived. Hackett, Anderson, Ash, Joker, Chakwas, a few of the sailors who might have survived. I could approach them directly, but I think even they’d be forced to hand me over until I was cleared, and that would simply take too long.

The longer I thought about it, the more I realised that the Illusive Man was the only option. The Council was a no-go. The Alliance would help me but it would take too long. Cerberus was ready to go now. I could only assume I would be getting resources, so perhaps a ship, weapons, credits, armour and hopefully people.

“Shit,” I muttered, running a hand over my short hair.

“Commander, we are at war, and we need humanity’s best soldier at the front, leading the way. But you can’t do it alone. You’re going to need the best.”

“I guess my old squad is counted out, right?”

“It’s been over two years, Commander. They’ve moved on with their lives. I've already compiled a list of soldiers, scientists and mercenaries. You'll get dossiers on the best of them. Finding them and convincing them to work with you could be challenging, but you're a natural leader. I'll continue to track the Collectors. When they make their next appearance, I'll notify you and your team. Be ready.”

“Spectre status?”

“You can approach the Council but I wouldn’t expect a warm welcome. I don’t think they’ll arrest you, but I’m sure they’ll have plenty of questions in regards to where you’ve been. And if you return to the Citadel, it will attract the attention of the Alliance.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose again and sighed. I hated being backed into a corner with only one way out, and I didn’t like the way being offered. But I was racking my brain, trying to think of anything else I could do. I still had hope that if I could contact Anderson… but he was ‘only’ a captain. Hackett? No, even as an admiral, he still reported to superiors. My return would lead to questions…

Shit, shit, shit, shit.

“Send me the dossiers and I’ll have a look at them,” I stated flatly. Fine, I’d work with them for now, and I’d just bury the hate. Work like a robot until the job was done, then I’d think of something else. First thing, a steaming hot shower so I didn’t feel anywhere near as dirty as I did.

"Commander. Two things before you go." _Fuck me, what now?_ "First, head to Omega and find Mordin Solus. He's a brilliant salarian scientist. Our intelligence suggests he may know how to counteract the Collectors' paralysing seeker swarms."

"Giving orders already? In case you've forgotten, I don't work for you." _Keep this up, Shepard, and you will be shot in the back of the head. Then buried in some unmarked grave. You know what these people are capable of._

I noticed the Illusive Man just grinned, waving a dismissive hand. "I'm merely giving you direction, Commander. A helpful suggestion. Nothing more. I'm just hoping you make the right choice."

I sighed, as it was nothing but an order, but I couldn’t be bothered arguing any longer. "Very well. Point taken. What's the second thing?"

"I've found a pilot I think you may like. I hear he's one of the best. And he's someone you can trust."

Turning around, I was greeted by the sight of my pilot, Joker. Dressed in a Cerberus uniform. He stopped and saluted, not looking ill at ease at all. The first thing I noted was the fact he appeared to be walking unaided. He hadn’t walked all that much on the old ship, and when he did, he needed crutches at least. I returned the salute, simply out of habit. “Joker, the fuck are you doing here?” I strode forward and offered my hand, which he accepted immediately. “Can’t believe it’s you.”

“"You're one to talk, Commander. I saw you get spaced."

“Good point. Again, I’ll ask, the fuck are you doing here, Joker? In that uniform?”

He heard my tone and gestured with his head. “"Come on, we'll walk and talk. Apparently they have something to show us." Falling in alongside, he led me down a series of hallways as he continued to explain. “It all fell apart without you, Commander. Everything you stirred up, the Council just wanted it gone.”

“So I’ve been told. With Udina on the Council, I was going to be fucked over regardless.”

“Yeah, don’t expect any help from them. Alliance? Doubt they know you’re back yet. Once they find out, I’m sure they’ll have a few questions. Anyway, after all that, the team was split up. All records from the mission were sealed, by both the Council and the Alliance. And I was grounded."

"What? Why? You're the best damned pilot in the Alliance."

"I was. Post-traumatic stress disorder, they called it. Apparently seeing your Commanding Officer spaced, and feeling guilty about it, was detrimental to my ability to pilot a ship."

“Had it rough?”

“Others have had it worse so I’m not complaining. Just facts, Commander. But in the end, the Alliance took away the only thing that mattered to me. So when Cerberus approached me with the offer to fly again, I accepted.”

“No hesitation?”

“Oh, plenty of hesitation, Commander. This is Cerberus we’re talking about. Trust me, I remember everything you found, but the Alliance forced me here. Payslip I get each month is a nice bonus. Don’t expect we’ll be here forever. Sure we’ll see a cell once the job is done and we go back.”

We stopped at window, overlooking a dark docking area. I assumed there was a ship there. “So any trust in regards to any of the clowns in charge? Cerberus as a whole?”

“"Do you trust them, Joker? Cerberus? The Illusive Man?"

"I certainly don't trust Cerberus. This is simply a means to an end. A job. Honestly, I don't really trust anyone. Except you, Commander. And considering they saved your life, and let me fly, I guess they can't be all bad."

"Maybe…."

Joker then gestured out the window. "Then there is this. They only told me about it last night."

The dark silhouette outside was slowly illuminated by a series of lights. An enormous ship. Sleek in design. Painted on the front splitters and on the hull were the words SR-2. Even sitting still in the docking bay, it looked fast. Painted white, black and gold. They were the colours of Cerberus, but at that moment, I didn't mind. Leaning forward, placing a hand on the glass, I simply took it all in. And I knew this was now _my_ ship. I would be captain once again. “Wow,” I whispered, “She’s a real beaut.”

“It's good to be home, huh, Commander?"

“Sure is.” We both stared in silence for at least a few minutes before I added, “Guess we’ll have to give a name?”

“You sure, Commander? Some say renaming a ship the same as one lost can be bad luck.”

I grinned. "I'm sure, Joker. She's been reborn. Bigger. Stronger. Faster. I can't think of a better name."

Joker called across one of the technicians standing nearby waiting for the instruction. "We'd like a name painted on the side of the ship."

"What name would that be?"

Joker looked back at me, and I returned a single nod.

"Normandy."

* * *

Actually getting ready to depart took a few hours. The crew was nearly ready to go, but last minute changes needed to be made, more supplies were being loaded, and even Cerberus required everything to be signed off before we could actually leave. Joker immediately got himself comfortable at the helm, which was good enough. I simply marvelled at the space available within the CIC.

Miranda and Jacob were polite enough to give me the rundown of what the ship was capable of and also its design. First off, the armoury was completely in the wrong place. It should be in the docking bay, ready for soldiers to grab their gear and leave. So that was an obvious flaw right there. The drive core was supposed to be even more powerful than in the old ship, so that was good. There was a tech lab, which would come in handy. A conference room, for meetings and also the place the Illusive Man could bother me. I had my own cabin at the top of the ship, which was a bonus. All in all, the ship was enormous.

And it came with artificial intelligence. Known as EDI. I think Miranda and Jacob were expecting a different reaction than my casual indifference. “Planning on taking over the ship or slaying humanity?” When EDI said no, that it was shackled, I was fine with it. Miranda actually looked impressed at the fact I didn’t really give a shit.

"The Illusive Man must have been impressed so far, Commander,” she said, “I was concerned by your attitude when you first woke up. I'll admit I would have done things slightly differently during your reconstruction, but I guess my mind will change over time if you continue to be cooperative with us. However, seeing that you are now here with us and at least committed to taking down the Collectors, I'm now confident this mission will be a complete success with you in charge."

“What would you have done differently?”

“Control chip to make you more amenable to our goals,” she replied bluntly, and honestly, which was something I could appreciate, I guess, “The Illusive Man said no. I suggested that he may regret that decision. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

“And the biotic thing?”

“We agreed that, although you would have to adapt, considering your history, we assumed it would not take long and that, as a vanguard, it would suit you better.”

“Can we set up training as I’m still not exactly sure how it all works?”

“Of course, Commander. Jacob and I can both help you in any way you require. We need you at your best, and training is a vital component.”

I gestured at the nearby AI interface. “And this EDI? And before you even think about replying, don’t spin me bullshit. Is it here to monitor us?”

“Yes,” was the simple reply, before Miranda added, “But even I am not aware of all its functions.”

“Fair enough. Long as it doesn’t try and take control of the ship, then take us to the geth so it can lead an overthrown of the organic races, it can stay. Now, Joker knows we’re off to Omega. Anything else I need to know?”

"The first person you may wish to speak to is your yeoman, Miss Chambers," Jacob replied, before he saluted and followed Miranda to the elevator. I walked towards Miss Chambers, who was busy at her terminal, looking up as I came into view.

“Hello, Commander.”

“Miss Chambers.”

“Miss Chambers is so formal. Call me Kelly.”

“If you’re Kelly, I’m Shepard. Not sure I’m really a ‘commander’ anymore anyway.”

“Still a little overwhelming?”

“Haven’t even slept yet and I’m not sure how long I’ve been going so far. I’m sure I’ll crash and burn eventually. Could do with a bite to eat and a drink too.”

“Mess is down one level, Shepard. The medical bay is also down there. And there is also a fully stocked bar in one of the lounges.”

“This ship has lounges?”

“Two of them, either side of the ship.”

“Damn! Cerberus knows how to build a ship at least.”

“You haven’t seen your cabin yet, Shepard. I think you’ll be impressed.”

“So, although I’d love to stay and chat, Kelly, I’m going to head downstairs, grab a bite, then head upstairs. But I think, as we’ll be spending a lot of time together, I’m sure we can chat soon enough.”

“Of course, Shepard. I look forward to it.”

Walking back to the elevator, it arrived quickly and I stepped in, turning around and definitely checking out her backside. She was definitely gorgeous. I loved redheads. Green eyes are a bonus. And her voice was hypnotic. I was already thinking of my life on the old _Normandy_, and also what I’d got up to off the ship. Maybe being stuck with Cerberus wouldn’t be so bad, at least in regards to one aspect.

Arriving in the mess, I was introduced to Mess Sergeant Gardner, who explained he was a jack of all trades, master of none, but before I could grab a tray, I glanced at the medical bay and noticed someone I did not expect to see again, at least for a few months. I immediately strode across, the door opening, and Doctor Chakwas looked up, grinned, and immediately rose to her feet. “Commander,” she said softly, “It’s good to see you alive.”

The embrace wasn’t a surprise. “It’s good to see you too, Doc.”

She moved her hands to my shoulders as she leaned back, definitely looking at my face. I’d only looked in the mirror once, hadn’t liked what I’d seen, so avoided it since. "You look a little rough around the edges, Commander."

“I’m feeling it too!”

“Do they hurt?”

“Surprisingly, no. Or, at least, not constantly. Occasional shooting pain, nothing more. Miranda said my reconstruction hadn't finished when I was woken up. It's a long story. But I'm surprised to see you here, Doc. What are you doing on a Cerberus vessel?”

She let me go and gestured to her desk, resuming her seat as I sat opposite. She’d barely changed since the last time I’d saw her. Silver hair. Wise eyes. I didn’t know her exact age, but I put her in the late 50s, early 60s bracket, so probably double my own age. Still, constantly on her feet and at work had kept her slim. And I was aware of her attraction on the old ship.

"Hmm. It is surprising, even to me. But here I am, ready to help. And from what I've already heard, whether through gossip or otherwise, it sounds like you haven't changed a bit, particularly in your opinion of the organisation we are currently allied with, so to speak."

“Could be better, could be worse. At least there’s a job to do to keep my mind focused. We do the job, beat the Collectors, then… well, god knows, really, but I guess we won’t be sticking around here too long.”

"I’m thinking the same thing, Commander."

"Good. Now, is there anything you need?"

She shook her head. "No, Cerberus know what they're doing regarding medical facilities. I have everything I need here. I did lose something during the destruction of the old ship, though."

"What did you lose?"

"A bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy. I was saving it for a special occasion and have always regretted never opening the bottle."

"Say no more, Doc. First stop we make, somewhere decent at least, like the Citadel, I'll pick you up a bottle." She looked ready to argue but I immediately waved those away. “I remember an invitation for drinks before I carked it. So it’s a good excuse for a catch up at least.”

“Well, if you’ve really been asleep for two years, it’ll be a one-way conversation.”

“What have you been up to?”

There was a sigh, one of equal frustration and sadness. “After you were lost, I was reassigned. Eventually I found myself based on Mars. I had a respectable position but it wasn't a starship. I've spent nearly my entire adult life on starships, never knowing what the next mission might bring. Ship life suits me, Commander, and I missed it. Life planet-side is, if I'm completely honest, a little boring."

“Yeah, I remember you telling me. And the people we’re working with?”

“I honestly don’t know them at all. Miranda Lawson was the one who recruited me. She’ll take some getting used to. The only other one I know is Kelly Chambers. She was very sweet. May end up being the only honest person on the ship, asides from us. Don’t think she has a dishonest bone in her body.” She paused before adding, “You’ll definitely like her.”

I gave her a look as I knew exactly what she meant. “Anyway, Doc, I just popped in to say hello. I’m absolutely starving, then I need a little shuteye before we arrive in Omega.”

“Don’t be a stranger, Shepard.”

I headed back out into the mess to grab a tray and some food. Taking a seat, I realised the food was going to be rather awful within the first couple of mouthfuls, but I was starving, and used to eating crap, so I just hoovered it down. Miranda wandered out from her office to grab a bottle of water from the fridge, and I definitely checked her out again. I wasn’t sure if her best feature were her tits or her arse. Legs were nice, but the tits were on point, definitely fake, but also spectacular. I definitely had some thoughts as she didn’t look my way, simply heading back to her office, click of her heels on the floor echoing around the otherwise empty mess.

With no other option, I grabbed a bottle for myself before heading up to my cabin. To say I was taken aback would be an understatement. It wasn’t a cabin, it was a fucking apartment! Desk, with piles of datapads already in place, no doubt with information I needed, considering I had no real idea what had happened for two years. There was a giant fish tank, currently empty of fish. Plenty of storage face. Huge bed. Pair of lounges with glass coffee table. The lighting was terrible. The window looking out into space would be something I could look out of when lying back on the bed.

First thing was a shower, stripping off and heading straight inside, making sure the water was nice and hot. There was an enormous mirror that I couldn’t help look into. The scarring was jarring to see, and I figured I would have to talk to Chakwas about getting it fixed. I’d seen wounded soldiers with worse injuries, but if I could get some surgery, I’d be happy.

Wandering back out in just a towel, the one thing I wanted was company of a certain kind but, without Ashley or Liara on the ship, nor any of the other women I had been intimate with before, I didn’t really know what to do. I immediately thought about Kelly, but figured it might be a little early to pursue that in such a way. I then thought about simply jerking off, but I’d prefer to cum in something other than my hand.

“Wonder if Miranda would be interested?” I asked myself, laughing away at such a thought. No chance of that ever happening.

_“Did you want me to contact Miss Lawson?”_

“What the fuck?” The AI interface appeared nearby. “Fucking hell, EDI, you nearly gave me a heart attack. And no, I don’t want her right now”

_“Very well, Shepard. Have a good night.”_

What I needed was sleep, and the bed looked inviting, company or not. “Joker, how long to Omega?”

“_About four hours, Commander.”_

“Okay, wake me when we’re about an hour out. I need some shuteye.”

_“No worries, Commander.”_

I hurled the towel on the floor, set my alarm for four hours, just in case, and collapsed onto the bed. I think I was asleep within thirty seconds, which was nice.

* * *

Waiting at the airlock, waiting for the ship to dock, I felt better after a little shuteye, another small meal, and plenty of water, as I had been feeling rather dehydrated. I was dressed in the same black armour I had picked up when I’d woken up. I’d always worn blue with the Alliance, as one would expect, but didn’t feel comfortable wearing it now. Jacob had offered me some Cerberus armour, albeit half-heartedly, so I wasn’t too harsh with him when declining.

I’d done some reading during my meal, as although I’d heard of Omega, I’d never been there, though its reputation was known across the galaxy. Flanking me were Jacob and Miranda, as I had no other choices to take with me. I’d seen them both in action, though they were mechs, but I figured they’d be good enough.

I was surprised our ship was even allowed near Omega, considering the colours we were flying, but perhaps word has already spread of my return. It wouldn’t surprise me to hear the Illusive Man had told everyone he figured needed to know would have been informed. The Council. The Alliance. And also whoever was in charge of Omega.

Once the ship docked, cabin pressure was equalised, and the light turned green, we walked out onto the docking bay, walking no more than a few metres towards a group walking towards us, including a couple of batarians. Just what I needed. _Fucking hate batarians_.

“Welcome to Omega, Shepard.”

I feigned surprise. “You know who I am?”

“Of course. We had you tagged the moment you entered the Terminus Systems. You're not as subtle as you think. Aria wants to know what brings a dead Spectre to Omega. I suggest you go to Afterlife now and present yourself."

“We weren’t being subtle considering the ship wasn’t cloaked, you pillock,” Miranda stated.

I glanced her way and nodded approving. “Nice use of the word pillock, Miss Lawson. I’d have just gone for the uncouth ‘cunt’ myself.” I turned back to the batarian. “Look, we’re not here to cause trouble, so cut the act. You and your arseclown companions can turn around and fuck off as we don’t need an escort.”

I was hoping he’d actually rise to the bait and start a fight. A few punches thrown, an adrenaline rush, may be a snapped bone or two, would make me feel even better. But, to my slight disappointment, he didn’t. "Things explode around you, Shepard. You can't blame Aria for wanting to keep an eye on you. Afterlife. Now."

I flipped him the bird as he simply turned around with his goons and walked away. As we headed into Omega itself, I asked EDI to give me the rundown of what was known about Omega. It was the sort of story I expected of such a settlement in the Terminus Systems. Ignored and forgotten as it wasn’t Council Space. Figuring we might as well just got to Afterlife to get it out of the way, we joined a line though I stayed there for all of thirty seconds before pushing to the front, where there was an elcor bouncer. I found that hilarious, though he recognised me, so I was allowed straight in with the others.

It was almost Sodom and Gomorrah, and I immediately felt right at home. Well, not quite, but there were enough things around to definitely perk my interests. Mercenary gangs were doing all sorts of trade. Drugs. Guns. Women too, probably. I might have to deal with that later. But it was the rather limber asari and human dances, working the poles, that definitely gained my full and complete attention, taking a seat at the bar and finding a beer in my hand quickly.

“We have work to do, Commander,” Miranda stated, already sounding exasperated.

“Yep, we do. But first, I’m going to watch this pretty little thing right in front of me.” The asari noticed I was being rather attentive and soon she was dancing on the bar right in front of me, and it was very provocative. I sipped at my beer, and watched her dance, rather enjoying it when her legs ended up over my shoulders as she cavorted on her back. “How do I give this lovely thing a tip?” I asked.

“Just transfer some credits over your omni-tool,” the barman said.

“Is it directly to her?”

“Her name is Tara, so yes, she gets the creds. Aria will take her cut later.”

I transferred what I considered a good sum of money, earning thanks and a kiss on the cheek as she walked across the bar and back to her pole. There’s no way she was much older than Liara, though Tara had the body of someone who had danced for even longer. Cracked nuts on her arse and a body that could definitely be bent in any number of ways. Finishing my beer, I noticed Jacob was just as distracted. Miranda wasn’t happy, which amused me even further.

Taking another beer, this time in a bottle, I led the way towards where Aria was apparently sitting. Her position was on a podium that sat above everyone else, and she had a perfect view of everything and everyone. I didn’t get a good look at her as I rounded the corner, stopped by four heavily armed bodyguards. I smiled and took a sip of my beer as one of them, another batarian, put a hand on my chest.

“Take it off now, or I snap your wrist,” I warned with nothing but a grin. The batarian returned a predatory grin as another bodyguard, this one a turian, approached with a scanner. The batarian stepped back, allowing the turian to scan my entire body. "What's the scan for? If you're looking for weapons, you're not looking very hard," I added, gesturing to the weapons across my body. Pistol. Shotgun. Assault rifle. Grenades.

"Can't be too careful with dead Spectres. That could be anyone wearing your face."

"Yeah, I’ve seen that movie before. I don’t think I’ve undergone that sort of operation as I still have all the same memories. But I was told you're the person to talk to if I have questions."

Aria turned around and I got a good look at her. I’m sure, in some way, she might be considered attractive. But… not me. The one word I could think of to describe her was fierce. I wondered when she last genuinely smiled. And if she did grin, she would have looked like nothing more than a predator stalking its prey.

"You run Omega?" I asked. It was a stupid question, but I just wanted to be certain. Aria laughed, before she turned around and spread her arms wide.

"I. Am. Omega." I almost laughed at the melodrama of it all. Her bodyguards stepped back, leaving me free to approach her. Aria sat down, gesturing for me to take a seat nearby, with Miranda and Jacob sitting further away. "But you need more. Everybody needs more something. And they all come to me. I'm the boss, C.E.O, queen if you're feeling dramatic. It doesn't matter. Omega has no titled ruler and only one rule." She came to a stop and stared at me, a slight smirk on her lips. "Don't. Fuck. With Aria."

“Simple but effective. I could think of maybe one retort, but that’ll lead to my balls being in a vice. I like them where they are now.”

Despite her warnings, I wouldn’t have called Aria friendly but she had the information we needed. Mordin Solus was currently working on the outbreak of plague in a quarantined zone, which immediately made me wonder what century we were living in. As for Archangel, first and surnames unknown as yet, he’d pissed off half of Omega and was apparently locked down and being attacked by mercenaries, or entire groups of them at least, including Eclipse, Blood Pack and Blue Suns. No idea who they were, but it was suggested we would have to fight our way there to get him, then fight our way out. _Fantastic. Dead before we’ve started._

Figuring we should get Archangel first, we were told that the mercenary groups were recruiting within Afterlife itself, so after thanking Aria for the information, as politeness always counts when dealing with asari who could probably mind-fuck you with ease, we joined a rather short line to join up with what must have been the Blue Suns. It was easy to figure out as they wore blue armour.

Standing in front of another fucking batarian, he looked over the three of us. I thought the prominent Cerberus logo on Jacob and Miranda would have gained his attention, but he didn’t seem to recognise it. And he didn’t recognise me either, which was a good thing. "Yeah, you three look like you can do some damage. Looking for a good fight?"

"Always looking for a fight,” I replied, which actually wasn’t a lie for once, “And I hear this Archangel will provide one hell of a good one."

"You heard right." The merc starting inputting our information after I handed over a trio of false IDs. "Right, the standard fee is five hundred creds. You'll get paid when the job is done. If you die, your friends don't collect your share."

I turned to my companions. "Don't die,” I joked. Miranda just rolled her eyes but a slight grin briefly appeared, so maybe there was warmth under that ice cold exterior.

"You'll also need your own weapons and… Never mind, you appear well-equipped."

"Anything else?"

"Final proviso. This does not make you a member of the Blue Suns, Eclipse or the Blood Pack. You are a freelancer. Period."

"Would never have thought otherwise. Where do we head out?"

"There's a transport depot outside the club. One of our boys will take you from there."

We quickly realised the mercenary groups were, to put it simply, a bunch of fucking idiots. Apparently Archangel was holed up somewhere either alone or with very few allies, but still the mercenaries were wasting their times with piecemeal attacks, being picked off rather easily. There was no cohesion in their attacks, each group simply doing their own things, hoping to take the glory of their kill for themselves.

As I said, idiots.

After causing a little trouble, including disabling a few things and electrocuting the batarian that was fixing a gunship, we joined one of the waves heading towards Archangel, hoping whoever it was would recognise our different armour, that we were likely friendlies, and so not to kill us. I still took a shot into the chest, but it was concussive rather than armour piercing, so although I felt out of breath as we made it across, at least I didn’t have a massive hole instead.

Bounding up the stairs, we walked into an empty room save for one person. He held up a finger, or a talon, to suggest we remain silent and still as he lined up a target with his sniper rifle. There was a crack as he fired, before he simply turned to face us. “You Archangel?” I asked. I’d stored my weapon, so stepped forward carefully, removing my helmet so he could at least see who I was.

Archangel rose to his feet, placed his rifle against a pillar, before turning back and taking off his own helmet. "Shepard," Garrus stated, "I thought you were dead."

"Garrus?! What the fuck are you doing here?" I exclaimed, rushing forward to grab his hand, followed up by a few slaps on the back.

"Just keeping my skills sharp. A little target practice."

I let him go and looked him up and down. “You sound knackered, old friend. Doing okay?”

"I've been better," he replied, honest as always, "But it sure is good to see a friendly face. Killing mercs is hard work. Especially on my own."

"What are you doing here on Omega? I thought you would have at least gone back to C-Sec."

“It’s a long story, Shepard, and one I’m sure we can go over later, preferably over a few beers. I could ask what you are doing here, but I guess that’s the same. Go over it later. What we need to do now is wipe these idiots out so we can at least get out of here.”

“No back door to this place?”

“Not one we can use. Bastards will likely be trying to come through there right now. I’ve got it wired up nice and good, but there has to be at least one or two people with brains that’ll figure it out eventually.”

“I’ve got companions who can help. We watch here, they watch there.”

“If you think that’s best, Shepard.” I glanced at Miranda and Jacob, who didn’t need any orders, understanding what was required and disappearing immediately. “Sooo… I recognise that symbol on their armour, Shepard,” he stated, picking up his rifle. I took the assault rifle from my back and took a knee as we readied for the onslaught, “Didn’t have you pegged as Cerberus.”

We opened fired as the next wave approached. Complete and utter idiocy. I’d ready my history and it was the tactics used during the Great War. Send thousands of men against machine gun posts in a vain attempt to take the trench. As we fired occasionally, I managed to explain. “Long story short. I died. They spent billions rebuilding me. I woke up a couple of days ago. Found out the Council denied the Reapers. Human colonies are disappearing. The Alliance are being useless and Cerberus said I should help them to stop the Collectors."

“The Collectors? Shit, I’ve heard of them. Nothing good.”

“Yeah, been told the same thing. Honestly, I don’t really know what I’m doing so far. I’m still waking up. Sure you’ve noticed the face is a mess.”

“Don’t worry, Shepard. I’m sure there’s still a line of women available.”

We’d been firing during the conversation, and for a moment, things went quiet. Garrus suggested they’d have to get smart eventually, tempting fate. Which, of course, was proven right, as the idiots proved they had at least some brains, as the trickle of soldiers turned into a flood. So that’s when I had the chance to show off my new abilities, heading downstairs and biotic charging into anyone that came into view. In addition to the thump of biotics, my shotgun rarely stayed silent, blasting away at close distance, covering myself and the apartment in blood.

I then heard a krogan roar about Archangel, turning to see an enormous one heading my one in red armour. So I charged at him too, knocking him back enough that I could raise my shotgun and blasted his head clean off. Anyone else probably would have retched at the sight. I simply stepped over his body and charged the next victim.

“Leave some for me!” I heard Garrus called, blasting away two more mercenaries before I pulled back to the stairs. Garrus still had his eye to the scope, firing again, before he added, “Well, seems you have some particular skills, Shepard. I guess they changed you at least a little bit.”

“Still getting used to it. Has its advantages and disadvantages.”

“Well, the good thing is you killed Garm, the Blood Pack commander. I’ve already blown away the Eclipse commander, so now it’s the Blue Suns and whatever remains of the other two groups.”

The last wave came and they threw everything at us. The three groups finally worked together and the bodies started to pile up on the bridge. But that wasn’t the only problem as the Blue Suns had got the airship working, and bullets were soon ripping the apartment to pieces. Miranda and Jacob returned, helping us lay down fire as we worked out how to take down the gunship. It was obviously shielded, so Miranda and Jacob would cause those to fail, then Garrus would have only a moment to shoot the pilot’s canopy. It was the only plan I could think of, as without heavy weapons, trying to shoot it down with rifle fire would be laborious.

So we got to work.

It almost worked to perfection. The shields of the gunship failed. I opened up and began to fire, causing the gunship to move away enough that Garrus could appear from behind a pillar, rifle aimed and ready to fire. He dithered for only a minute to line up the shot, but it was long enough. He fired just as the gunship did, the explosion knocking Miranda, Jacob and I back, but Garrus took the brunt. Miranda told me the gunship was going down as I rushed to the side of Garrus, who was not in a good way, bleeding from numerous wounds and his face had been badly burned.

I opened the communication channel. “Joker, we need a medivac right away. Sending you my co-ordinates.”

_“Doctor Chakwas will be there shortly, Commander.”_

She arrived within five minutes. I stood out of the way and let her get to work, noticing my hands were now covered in blue blood. She checked his vitals, said they were weak but stable, and we immediately got him back to the shuttle and the ship. I followed them into the med-bay, where Chakwas got to work. She said there was little point me hanging around, so suggested I head away, and that she would let me know as soon as he was awake.

Miranda and Jacob were sat in the mess, so I suggested they should get some rest as well. I headed straight to my cabin so I could have a shower before changing into some civilian clothing. Jeans, black shirt, light jacket, and comfortable boots. Heading down to the CIC, Kelly looked at me and asked if I was going anywhere “No, just wanted to be comfortable. Since this isn’t military, I don’t have to wear a uniform.”

“Thought you might have had a date lined up.”

“Ha! I should be so lucky. I’ve barely had a chance to catch my breath since waking. One thing or another.”

“Have you eaten yet?”

I definitely gave her a look. “Not yet.”

“Well, if you ever want to grab dinner together, all you need do is ask, Shepard. Maybe we can get to know each other?”

That was an invitation if ever I heard one, but at that moment, I wasn’t willing to sleep with someone who worked for Cerberus. Yet. What I did remember was a bar full of asari and human dancers, and I figured perhaps I could at least find some company there for a few hours. Wouldn’t be the first time I’d paid for it, wouldn’t be last. Closing my terminal, I told Kelly I would be gone a few hours, but if Garrus were to wake up, to let me know immediately.

Heading back into Afterlife, I was let straight in again, and resumed my seat at the bar, distracted once again by the attractive dancers. I asked the barman if Tara was still around. “She’s just on a break. Should be an hour.”

“Do the girls entertain clients privately?”

“Do you mean to dance or to fuck?”

“While the former is enjoyable, I’m here for the latter.”

“Got the creds?”

“How much?”

“You want the whole deal, it’ll cost you two hundred.” I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Aria keeps the prices reasonable, keeps the punters coming back. Girls are looked after, protected. So if you want her, sure. She’ll be back soon enough.”

“I’ll have a beer while I wait.”

I sipped on a bottle as I spun around and watched some of the other girls on show, most of them proving to be incredibly flexible. Most simply danced though one or two cavorted erotically. Some wore leotards, some wore bikinis, others were topless. None of them went completely nude, so I guess it was meant to be somewhat tasteful.

I was on my second beer when an asari sat next to me, turning to see it was exactly who I wanted. “I’ve been told you’d like my company.”

“Yes. I assume you were told what sort?” She nodded. “Do you have somewhere close?”

“Two-minute walk. Come with me,” she said, offering her hand. I took it, her hand very soft compared to mine, and she led me out of Afterlife and down a couple of streets, arriving at an apartment block. There were guards at the door, who checked her ID, then checked mine. Walking inside, there were at least two cameras watching the hallway. “Don’t worry, no cameras in the room. There is an alarm system though, so any funny business, if I trigger it…”

“Warning heard, loud and clear.”

“What’s your name?” she asked, opening the door to her apartment. I doubt it was where she lived, although when I walked in, I changed my mind, as it looked like any regular apartment though a lot smaller. I heard the door click close as I turned to see her walk towards me.

“Shepard,” I finally replied.

That made her stare at me. “That name’s familiar.”

“It’s a common human surname. Don’t think about it too much.”

“And you know my name is Tara. So, Shepard, what did you want to do?”

“I thought that was obvious as to why I’m here.”

“I like to know what my client wants. Any particular fetishes you may have?”

“Nope. I like to have my dick sucked, I’ll eat pussy, and I love to fuck. I’m actually a rather simple man.”

“So the girlfriend experience? You know, kissing, cuddling, pillow talk for after. Not just a wham, bam, thank you ma’am experience.”

“Yeah, that actually sounds rather nice. After the day I’ve had…”

So the first thing we did was kiss. I thought it might be a little awkward, and although it was a job to her, she certainly made it feel as real as possible. I even made her giggle when I hugged her close, so that made me grin. She enjoyed taking off my clothes, everything gone including my boots, and on her knees, she proved to be very talented at sucking cock. It had been quite a while since I’d enjoyed a blowjob, and particularly from an asari as pretty as she was. Her eyes in particular were stunning.

Feeling on the verge, I didn’t want to cum just yet, so suggested we get on the bed, with her naked, and we pleasure each other. The fact I wanted to do that definitely surprised her. “Most men don’t offer that.”

“You clean?” She nodded. “Any other clients today?” She shook her head. “Then it isn’t a problem.”

So I took my time undressing her, and seeing her body in the light of her apartment was even more spectacular than seeing it in the club. “I remember you. You were at the bar, watched me dance, then you disappeared.”

“Yeah. Had a job to do.”

Once I had her naked, we ended up on the bed, and I buried my face in her pussy. And I’d lost none of my own talent as I soon had her moaning and whimpering. Whether it was all an act, I couldn’t be sure, but the fact she was far too distracted to blow me, and the fact she moaned my name rather loudly, suggested it wasn’t. She realised she’d stopped pleasing me, so managed to take my cock again as we almost raced to get each other off. I couldn’t stop myself and blew into her mouth within a couple of minutes, groaning loudly as she pressed her pussy into my mouth, using her body to suggest she was getting close. Despite feeling rather light-headed, I managed to concentrate enough to get her off in return. She rolled off me as we lay head to toe, breathing deeply as we recovered.

“Well, first time someone’s made me cum like that in quite a while. As I said, most guys cum in here, I blow them, they fuck me, cum, done. Out the door.” She turned around so she could at least lie next to me, eventually rolling onto her side to run a hand up and down my chest. “So, Shepard, what do you do?”

I’d already concocted a bullshit story in my mind as I doubted she’d want to meld when it got down to the fucking. “Mercenary. Been all over the galaxy.”

“And the scars on your face?”

“Yeah, hard to miss. Recent firefight went wrong. Still waiting to head into surgery.”

“First time on Omega?”

“It is. A surprise considering the line of work, but I’ve worked for various governments and don’t usually end up in this part of space. But pickings have been slim so the Terminus seemed like a good place to make some credits. Don’t want to do this forever.” I glanced at her, and she was listening intently at least, at least appearing interest. “What about you?”

“I’ve been here a while, doing what most young asari do. I don’t always entertain guests like this though.”

“Oh?”

“I remembered you from earlier. I didn’t get any bad vibes, so when I was told, I was confident I’d be safe. I normally only entertain like this once or twice a week. I actually make more money dancing. I’m happier doing this than what a lot of my friends have done, joining mercenary gangs. Good chance they’ll end up dead. With this, the worst thing is getting felt up by a creep, or ending up in a situation with a client that ends up with someone else being beaten to a pulp.”

“Sounds like a hard life regardless.”

“I’m sure yours is worse, Shepard.”

Conversation stopped as her lips found my body, moving down until she swallowed my length to get me nice and hard again before she lifted her leg onto the other side of my body, and carefully slid down my cock until my length was inside her. She closed her eyes and smiled, so I guess she enjoyed it. Watching her ride me was definitely a thrill. Always exciting when a fit, young woman, whether she’s human or asari, enjoys sex. She eventually leaned forward to kiss me again, and that one was definitely not faked, my hands on her arse by now as I started to thrust into her at the same time.

“Goddess,” she moaned.

“You’re telling me.”

I was going to last a while, but when she enjoyed another orgasm, I think even she was surprised by that, though after that first one, she didn’t stop riding me, kissing me hard again. “I want another one. I rarely have one like this.”

“Sex isn’t fun if we don’t both cum.”

She laughed at that, riding me hard again, definitely hoping to have another orgasm. I was now holding back, letting her do most of the work, kissing her lips, her neck, lifting her up so I could focus on her chest, in particular her perky breasts, nipples hard from excitement. When she finally orgasmed a second time, I made her cry out as I threw her on her back, pushing her legs back at her knees as I started to fuck her hard.

I didn’t say a word as I pounded her for the next couple of minutes, grunting and groaning the entire time until I finally unloaded inside her. Considering it was the first time I’d been laid in quite a while, I definitely felt rather light-headed as I carefully laid down on my forearms, feeling her legs wrap around me. “So, any chance you’ll be visiting Omega again? I like regular customers.”

I couldn’t help chuckle. “Well, I’m not sure to be honest, but I’d certainly like a return visit.”

She had a shower cubicle that we could clean up in, and I think she was definitely impressed by my physique. Cerberus had certainly rebuilt me well, at least. Her hands may have explored my body, running softly over my muscles, particularly on my arms and chest. As she did that, I found myself getting excited again, and we ended up fucking in the shower as well, pressing her against the wall as I fucked her from behind, polite enough to feel her up at the same time.

After dressing a little later again, I transferred the credits without needing to be asked as she escorted me to the door. “I had fun, Shepard. Not often I can say that to many clients.”

“So did I. I definitely needed tonight.”

At the door, she gave me a hug and kissed my cheek, wising me a good night, and hoped she’d see me in Afterlife again. I whistled a tune as I headed back out in Omega, eventually ending up back on the _Normandy_. The night shift was now on, and I didn’t know any of them yet. Joker had disappeared, as had Kelly, so I headed straight up to my cabin, undressed again, and headed to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo... Anyone still reading this? Realise it's nothing terribly original, just an excuse to write a smutty Mass Effect story, but I am wondering if anyone is still enjoying this...


	22. Book 2, Chapter 3 - Danger Zone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments and feedback. Nice to know a few of you out there are enjoying this excuse to write a smutty Mass Effect story.

Garrus wasn’t awake the next morning when I headed down to the mess. I guess it was no surprise. Chakwas explained that surgery had been successful, but she was going to keep him sedated for a little longer to help his wounds as he was going to be in some pain whenever he woke up. Letting me know that she’d call as soon as he either woke up, or she helped wake him up, I headed back into the mess, grabbed a quick bite to eat, before heading upstairs to the CIC.

There were far more messages waiting for me than I expected, from Miranda, from the Illusive Man, from Kelly... I was reading over everything when Kelly appeared next to me, holding a mug in her hands. “Coffee, Commander. Just how you like it.”

“Oh, and how do I like it, Kelly?”

“Two sugars, dash of milk. Nice and dark otherwise.”

“Cerberus knows a lot about me, it seems.”

“I’ve read your file back to front before my arrival on the Normandy, Shepard.”

I tapped my temple. “Getting to know me in here is more important.”

“Oh, I’d like that as well, but reading your file gave me an understanding of who I would be working alongside, at least.”

“Your thoughts so far?”

“The mission will be a success. And I think we’re going to have a lot of fun too.” If there was one thing I knew about Kelly already is that she wasn’t subtle. I glanced at her over the rim of the mug as I took a sip. “Just how you like it?”

“Definitely, Kelly. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Shepard.” And, with a smile, she turned and headed back to her terminal. I focused on my terminal, but glanced her way every so often. In profile, she was definitely shorter than me, slimmer, quite pale, which was usual for redheads, the word petite is what I would have used to describe her. And, of course, I imagined what she looked like without clothes on.

Miranda arrived mid-morning, wondering when we would head back onto Omega to collect Mordin Solus. “When Garrus is awake.”

“That could be a number of days.”

“Garrus is a tough cookie. He’ll be awake soon enough.”

“Very well. You’re in charge, Commander. Did you enjoy your time off the ship last night?”

Should have known she’d be aware. Probably knew exactly what I’d done as well. I returned a casual shrug. “Yes, I did, Miss Lawson. Got exactly what I needed. I was feeling rather relaxed afterwards and in a much better frame of mind.”

I met her eyes and there was definitely more than one retort forming, but she seemed to flick through various replies before she simply went with, “Glad to hear, Commander. Hopefully that will mean you won’t be distracted when we’re next on Omega.” There was a subtle jab at the fact I’d enjoyed myself in Afterlife, but I guess she wasn’t going to judge me completely.

“I know what I’m doing, Miss Lawson.”

Having not heard from Chakwas by midday, I did head into the armoury to change into armour and grab a weapon, letting Kelly know I was heading onto Omega to do some shopping. When asking what I wanted, I made her laugh when the first thing I said was fish. “What do you want fish for?”

“The fish tank.”

“Oh, I didn’t think you would bother…”

“Well, my desk is nearby, and I guess it would give the cabin some life. It’s rather dull and grey at the moment. Might give it some colour.”

“Do they even have fish on Omega?”

“If not, I’ll buy them somewhere else. Wouldn’t mind one or two others things as well. I think it’s obvious I won’t wear the uniform, Kelly. I’m here for the job only.”

“I understand, Shepard, though I hope you won’t judge us all.”

“Something we can talk about later, Kelly. Your reasons for joining and your opinions on the organisation.”

Another smile, I guess appreciating I wasn’t just going to make a sweeping judgement of them all. “Maybe over that dinner I suggested?”

“Definitely. Perhaps we can organise a night after we’ve left Omega?”

“I’ll put it in your diary. All you need do is confirm it.”

Heading back out in the chaos that was Omega, you didn’t have to look far to see the abject poverty, the desperation, the cruelty on display. Most were doing their best to scratch a living, put food in their stomachs for another day. There appeared to be a section for everything. One area sold food. Another sold clothes. Another sold weapon. And sex was also for sale too. I looked over the weapons and armour, but nothing was appealing, most of it second rate junk. I didn’t miss the fact a couple of quarians were trading, but most shops were run by batarians. And as I was human, I definitely gained their attention.

I did find a place selling fish, so I bought a few there. I also found a place selling ship models. For a laugh, I thought I’d buy a few of them, as I figured it might keep me amused during those nights on the ship I wasn’t getting laid. Which, to be honest, might end up being quite a few. I also purchased some more clothing, jeans, a few shirts, another jacket, and also a pair of comfortable shoes, particularly for when I was back on the Citadel and wanted to wander the Wards in comfort. No idea if or when that would happen, but I wanted to be prepared.

Back on the _Normandy_, Kelly was certainly amused as I returned with a few bags worth of things, heading straight upstairs to dump the fish in the tank, and I threw everything else onto the desk to sort out later. Having not had lunch, I headed back down to the mess to grab a feed. I’d taken all of three bites when I simply had to place my fork down. “Gardner, are you a chef?”

“If you mean have I been trained, no, Commander. But I can only make meals with what I’ve got. And I’ve barely got the basics here.”

“So Cerberus has enough money for this, that, and the other, but won’t put some tasty food in our mouths and stomachs?”

“That’s exactly right, Commander.”

“Well, that’s something I’ll see rectified immediately. Soldiers already have to put up with enough shit. The one thing they deserve is good food. Chow time is always something the serving man looks forward to.”

“If you can get me quality ingredients, I’m sure I can whip up something much better than the slop I’m currently serving.”

I pushed the tray forward, as I wasn’t going to eat another bite. I headed straight back out into Omega and headed towards the food court. There was a place run by a couple of humans, selling things like hamburgers. The meat looked real enough, probably frozen and shipped from a colony world. But it was meat, and I ordered some fries on the side. I devoured it all in probably five minutes, drinking down the accompanying beer quickly. I then asked if they had a spare box of meat patties and fries I could buy. They led me to a massive freezer room nearby and said I could take my pick. I soon had boxes of all sorts heading to the _Normandy_, letting Gardner know that it wasn’t quality but it would certainly keep everyone happy for now.

Checking in with Chakwas again, there was no change with Garrus, suggesting that she would slowly wake him up the next morning, so to check in with her then. Letting Miranda know the details, I told her we would go whenever Garrus was capable of heading out, unlikely the day he was woken up but if he had no ill effects, it would be the day after.

“Why not just go in without him, Commander?” she asked.

It was a fair question. “Because that man saved my arse more times than I count. And if we’re heading into a plague zone, I just know it’s going to be overrun with idiots looking to fight. So having a fourth member would be helpful.”

“Okay, another day or two won’t hurt, though just being this close to Omega makes my skin crawl.”

“I’m sure it’s the sort of place you need to warm to.”

She snorted in disbelief, which then made her look away, no doubt surprised at the sound. I laughed to myself as I headed back to my cabin, but after an hour there, I was bored so treated myself to shore leave again. Heading downstairs, I did ask Kelly if the crew was getting time off the ship. “Yes, Shepard. Small groups only, and they are going armed. Cerberus isn’t popular in these parts.”

I held back any sarcastic response, just letting her know I was heading out again. “Want some company this time?”

Looking at me those emerald green eyes of hers, there was only ever going to be one answer, so I said sure, why not. She asked me to wait as she disappeared downstairs, returning ten minutes later in jeans and a tight shirt that showed off her bust, at least. Heading out together, the only place I knew of was Afterlife. She didn’t mind, though we headed to a booth this time instead of sitting at the bar. Ordering our drinks from a scantily clad waitress, the music was pumping and I had a feeling the party never stopped. It was difficult to have a conversation in such an atmosphere but we managed to chat a little bit. Nothing too personal as it simply wasn’t the place.

After a couple of drinks, we were ready to leave as I wanted to be awake the next morning for when Garrus was woken up. Kelly certainly proved to be good company, a natural listener, though her personality was what I would call bubbly. She was gorgeous, of course, and her interest in me was immediate and obvious. I suggested a drink in the lounge, and we sat back together as we stared out the window. If we were not in dock, we would have been staring out into space, at least.

“Shepard, can I ask just one personal question.”

“Sure.”

“Your file did include a list of… partners. You had a few while on the old Normandy. Have you been in contact with any of them?”

“Apart from Tali on Freedom’s Progress, no. None of them probably even know I’m alive.”

“Are you wanting to meet up with them?”

“Sure, though I’m sure most have now moved on with their lives. It’s unlikely we’ll just pick up where we left off.”

“Would you like to?”

“With one or two of them, sure.” I paused before meeting her eyes. “Why are you asking?”

“Mere curiosity, Shepard. You were not exactly subtle when it came to your sexual escapades.”

Shrugging, I retorted, “I had nothing to hide. I like and enjoy sex and variety is the spice of life. And some women like to have sex with me. I’m a serving member of the Alliance. Permanent relationships are difficult at best. So I meet a woman I like, we enjoy a brief romance, I move on.”

“But you did sleep with Alliance personnel?”

“You mean Ashley? Well, yeah, but that was always going to happen. The attraction was immediate, and by the end, we cared little about the rules regarding fraternisation. Liara, Shiala and Benezia weren’t. Nor was Tali.”

“Emily Wong?”

“Oh, I really liked Emily. One of the few women I’ve ever gone back to visit again. We had a lot of fun together.”

“Gianna Parasini?”

I… didn’t have any easy answer for Gianna. Probably the first woman I’d even had close to really deep feelings for since Annie. “She was special,” I finally replied quietly, knowing I couldn’t say too much without it sounding like it had been love.

“Sounds like you really liked her.”

“Ever have someone you just clicked with immediately?” She didn’t nod or shake her head, so I just continued. “Our attraction was instant, but for once, I didn’t just want to know what she looked like naked underneath me. Actually wanted to get to know what made her tick. Met her on Noveria, as you likely know, but when she came to visit me on the Citadel… before I died… Well, we clicked on a whole other level. But she knew I wasn’t going to commit permanently. I think she resigned herself to that fact, at least she did then.”

“You’d like to see her again?”

“I’d like to see all of them again, just to let them know I’m alive.” I finished my glass as I asked, “What about you?”

“A few boyfriends and girlfriends here and there. Nothing that lasted. Work always took me away from where I was living.”

“Single?”

“I’m single, Shepard. Have been for a while now.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“Well, I don’t date where I work, and as I’m usually on a Cerberus space station, my options are limited to non-existent at best.”

“So it’s been a while then?”

That’s when she met my eyes. “Too long, Shepard.”

I was getting every signal I needed that I could have just picked her up, carried her to my cabin, and we could have fucked until the next morning. But she was a sweet girl, and part of me didn’t want to rush it. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to kiss her, which is exactly what I did. Soft at first, but she definitely liked it, and when I introduced my tongue, her glass ended up on the floor as her hands ended up running up and down my back and neck.

Breaking the kiss, her cheeks had definitely turned a colour of red I hadn’t seen before. “Well, that answers that question,” I said softly.

“But…”

“Not tonight, Kelly. No need to rush it, right?”

Exactly the right thing to say as the smile that lit up her face was just beautiful. “No, Shepard. No rush at all.”

Cleaning up the slight mess we made, we headed back out into the mess, where she would go bunk down. We didn’t make a scene by kissing again, simply wishing each other goodnight, before she disappeared to the crew quarters and I headed straight upstairs. I knew there would be cameras and monitors all over the ship, so what just happened would have been watched by someone. I definitely whistled to myself as I wandered back into my cabin, slightly wishing I’d brought her back for company, but I’d made the right choice. After a shower, to cool myself off for various reasons, I laid back on the bed with a pile of datapads, reading over more news, before finally drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Chakwas was busy waking up Garrus. Having kept him under, she needed to wake him up as, though he might do it naturally eventually, it was better just getting him up and about. His face still looked terrible as I leaned forward, assessing the damage. Whatever the case, Garrus was a tough bastard. Had proven so on the old _Normandy_ and the fact he’d even survived what happened was a testament to his strength.

“He’ll be awake in a few seconds, Commander.”

It didn’t take long for his eyes to slowly open up, no doubt quickly assessing where he was, what had happened, glancing towards Chakwas, who he would have remembered at least, before he turned to look at me, and that’s when he groaned.

"Shepard, you're not going to lean over and try and kiss me now, are you?"

I couldn’t help chuckle at the comment. "This isn't a fairy tale. I'm not a prince. You certainly are not a princess. And you're just not the sort of dextro I find attractive. Not unless you want me to kiss you, Garrus. But I'm not sure we share that sort of friendship."

Garrus chuckled slightly before he coughed. "Don't make me laugh, Shepard."

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I took a rocket to the face."

"Garrus."

"Yes, Shepard?"

"You did take a rocket to the face."

“You see, that’s the sort of shit that happens to me when I’m around you. Rockets to the face. Shot at constantly. Sentient machines that want to bring doom to the galaxy.”

“Can’t say it wasn’t fun.”

“Yeah, I guess it was most of the time.”

I stood back as he sat up, Chakwas taking one last check of his vitals before he swung his legs around, only then realising he wasn’t in his armour. “Fuck, I feel naked without my armour on. And now you see how bony we are, Shepard.”

“Glad Chakwas at least gave you a gown so we don’t have to see your bony arse, Garrus.”

He laughed again before cursing about making him laugh. “Your armour is in the front batteries,” Chakwas explained, “I had someone put it there.”

“Batteries? You mean this ship has cannons?”

“Proper cannons,” I replied, “No Mako though. Figuring you liked tinkering with things, I thought you might like working on those instead.”

“So this isn’t like the old Normandy then?”

“Far from it. So what you should do is head there, which is just out through the mess, get into your armour, then meet me back in the mess. Hungry? Can he eat anything, Doc?”

“Eating would certainly help,” Chakwas replied, Garrus adding he was starving.

Thanking the doctor again, we headed out together, Garrus half-limping his way up the stairs towards the batteries. While he was gone, I asked Gardner if there was any dextro food, surprised that they were fully stocked. He told me that Cerberus had planned for any eventuality regarding the recruits we would gather, and there was a chance we’d end up with a turian or quarian, depending on circumstances. So when Garrus returned, at least he had something he could eat so we didn’t require a trip back onto Omega.

Heading to the lounge, I grabbed us a few beers and we headed up to my cabin for a private chat. Sitting back, he looked around in amazement, making one or two jokes about it turning into a sex palace. I guess some things are simply not forgotten, no matter how long it’s been.

“So we’re both messed up then,” he finally stated, gesturing at my face.

“Yeah, I wasn’t quite finished. Most of my body is okay, but must have been working on my face still. Don’t worry, you don’t look much better at the moment.”

“Hurts like hell, to be honest.”

“Want anything for it?”

“No. If I feel the pain, I know it’s healing. Been through a hell of a lot worse.”

“Garrus, I’m going to ask this plainly. What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Long story or short?”

“Well, the basics, but I didn’t have you picked as some sort of vigilante.”

Garrus leaned back on his chair, sipping at his beer. “After you died, the Council just wanted everything about the Reapers buried, and that included everyone on your ship. No idea what happened to Ashley, no doubt reassigned. The rest of the Alliance crew likely reassigned. As for the non-alliance, we were told thank you but your services are no longer required.

Headed back to C-Sec, but that was just boring. Far too much red tape. Thought about the Spectre route, but you need to be selected, you don’t apply. Eventually I just got tired of the bullshit on the Citadel, so I told Chloe that I was going to go looking for a new job. Was thinking mercenary work. Take out the trash.”

“Are you still with Chloe?”

“Yes. I send her a message every so often. She knows I’m busy, as is she. A message from her was sometimes the only thing that kept me going when things got touch. Had a small group of us on Omega, taking on the mercenary gangs, trying to keep the people safe. That’s how I ended up with the name Archangel. Guess it was the humans who gave me that.

Anyway, things were going okay. I knew not to take on Aria, but she didn’t care about any war with mercenary gangs. Eliminate one, it just tightened her grip on power. We were making good inroads, taking out operations, making some cash, killing those who deserved it. Then we were betrayed…”

“By who?”

“I have a good idea who, but I still need to investigate, make sure I’m right. Because, if I am, I am going to kill the son of a bitch.” He took another sip of beer. “What about you, Shepard? Whatever is going on here, it can’t be easy.”

“Early days yet, to be honest. Barely been awake a few days. All I can do is make the best of it. After we’re done here, I’m thinking of the Citadel, simply to see what the score is. If I’m proven right, the Council won’t budge and the Alliance won’t co-operate, I’ll simply have to stay with Cerberus to get the job done.”

“You haven’t joined them, have you?”

“Fuck no, but I can understand the question.”

We polished off the beers before heading downstairs again to the mess, as it was probably wise to eat. As Garrus and I hoovered down the food, Miranda wandered out with a datapad, handing it to me. “You may as well go recruit this one if you want to wait to collect Doctor Solus?”

I glanced over the datapad. _Well, another visit to Afterlife is on the cards then. Veteran mercenary? No doubt lots of credits, long as he does the job though._ “Sure, let me finish this and we’ll head in.”

“Just try not to get into any fights before tomorrow, Commander.”

“Aye-aye, ma’am,” I replied sarcastically. It earned a smirk as she turned and walked away, and I watched every step, because that arse was on fire.

“You’re not seriously…”

“What?”

“Is she your type?”

“Do I even have a type, Garrus? Good looking, great tits, fantastic arse, thighs that could probably crack a coconut.”

“Yes, I think you do have a type. I don’t think she fits the bill at all.”

“No reminders of Ashley? She could be a ballbuster.”

“True, she could be. But in her calmer moments, she was also incredibly sweet, particularly when you were the topic.”

I ignored that last bit. Didn’t need to think about Ashley just yet. “I don’t know her,” I said, gesturing towards where Miranda disappeared, “So I’m not going to judge too soon. I think she’s a loyal, card-carrying member of Cerberus, that’s for sure. But I’ve met people before who have exteriors like her. It’s an armour, a shell they’ve wrapped around themselves. Get rid of that, and you are sometimes pleasantly surprised. Besides, it’s not like you to judge so quickly.”

“I’m on a Cerberus ship with mostly Cerberus personnel, Shepard. Frankly, the only people I’m going to trust are you, the good doctor, and maybe Joker.”

He had a point that I could understand, so I let the topic go. After lunch, we headed upstairs where I could slip on some armour, grabbing a pistol as I didn’t think going fully tooled up was required. Garrus did the same thing, and I swear as we were leaving, Jacob gave a longing look, wanting to be invited. But I didn’t spend personal time with those I didn’t trust, and although I didn’t think he was a fanatic like Miranda, he still wore the symbol.

Garrus admitted he could tell a million and one stories about Omega but knew it would bring down our moods. He said it wasn’t like a horror film, it was generally the desperation of the people who flocked to the station, believing they could strike it rich somehow. Most ended up in little more than grinding poverty, and many were preyed upon mercilessly by the mercenaries that ran parts of the station. As for Aria, he admitted that while she was the crime boss of Omega, she generally didn’t worry about ‘small fry’, but it was obvious she didn’t give a shit about anyone but herself.

With little description available of the mercenary we were looking for, only a name, I asked the barman, and we were immediately pointed in the right direction. The mercenary looked at us approach with his one good eye, a face of scars and battle. His armour, from what I could see, bore no markings or affiliation, but it looked well designed. “You Zaeed Massani?”

“Who’s asking?” he grunted back.

“Name’s Shepard. I believe someone we both know has been in contact.”

“You say your name was Shepard? As in Commander Shepard?” I nodded. “You’re meant to be dead.”

“So I’ve been told.”

“Yeah, I’ve been waiting for you to show up. Sit down, have a beer. Look at the pretty girls.”

I’m never one to refuse the offer of a beer, so Garrus and I slid into the booth alongside him. As we sipped on a beer, I gave him the rundown of the mission, though he was honest and admitted he only cared about the credits. He was getting paid good money to join us, receiving half now, half upon completion of the mission. He asked if I had a ship, I told him about the _Normandy_, and where he could possibly bunk. He liked isolation, so I suggested one of the lower decks would be what he wanted. Finishing our beers, he said he’d wander over in a couple of hours. Garrus and I headed to the bar, when I felt a hand tap my shoulder, turning to see Tara.

“Fancy meeting you here,” she said with a smile that suggested she wanted to conduct some sort of transaction, “What are you after this evening?”

“Well, I was tempted by a beer. Maybe a dance too?”

“Oh, a dance I can do, Shepard. I assume you want private?” I nodded. She leaned forward, shared a word with the barman, and I was soon led by the head by Tara downstairs, hearing Garrus laugh above the pumping music. Entering a rather small room, she pushed me back onto the comfortable leather chair as she locked the door, turning on music I didn’t expected.

Her striptease was incredibly erotic, needing to adjust my seating position more than once. There was a pole she used half the time, but she eventually ended up sat on my lap without any clothing. She certainly teased me relentlessly, feeling herself grind along my obvious erection. She would tease me further by lowering her mouth to kiss me but then pull away. “I’m enjoying what I can feel, Shepard,” she whispered, before she grabbed my wrists, “And you are definitely allowed to touch.”

My hands were soon all over her body, feeling the smooth skin of her back, the perkiness of her breasts, her flat stomach, her defined legs, even caressing her face. When I moved my hand down between her legs, I thought she was going to stop me, but all she did was kiss me hard and so I took that as an invitation to get her off. She must have been turned on as she eventually had to break the kiss, resting her forehead against mine as she was incredibly wet. “Don’t stop,” she breathed.

I wasn’t planning on it, but when I made her orgasm, she kissed me even harder to cover her cries. She then rested on my lap, a series of deep breaths as her kisses turned soft, her hands on the back of my head, before she moved one down to my trousers, and within seconds, my cock was free so she could slide down it. I lifted myself up so I was a little more comfortable, sliding my jeans down to my knees. “Big tip,” I stated as she leaned back so I could lick her nipples and kiss up and down her body. She was soon riding me hard and fast, trying not to make too much noise, but she was definitely enjoying herself. “Fuck,” I groaned.

“Going to cum?”

“In a minute.”

So she sat me back as she leaned forward, now riding me even faster, her forehead against mine as her eyes focused into mine. My hands were resting on her arse, keeping her steady, as she was definitely riding me to get herself off again. “Hold on,” she breathed.

“Doing my best here!”

I was never going to last forever. She was far too cute, and that pussy was far too tight. I groaned loudly as I felt myself erupt, Tara now riding me with urgency, and I knew she was getting close when she started to make these little moans I remembered from last time. When I felt her squeeze my cock, that’s when I knew she was enjoying another orgasm, eventually collapsing forward with her head on my shoulder. I just wrapped my arms around her, feeling rather good about life once again.

“I was only expecting a dance,” I said with a chuckle.

“You don’t mind?”

“No, because I thoroughly enjoyed our first time.” She leaned back and kissed me again, soft and tender. “That’s a good reason why.”

“How much longer will you be here?”

“Maybe tomorrow night. I’m not sure.”

“Well, depending on what you’re doing…”

“I suppose I could handle another night in Afterlife. Are you talking another dance or…”

“Sex, Shepard. Definitely sex. Another experience like what we shared.”

“Well, I can certainly afford that.”

“Maybe you could pay a little more, stay the night?” That was a surprise and it must have shown. “Look, you’re clearly a good guy. During our entire time, I never felt uneasy and you were polite and even gentlemanly. As I said, most of the time, I feel rather used at the end. You cared about my enjoyment too.”

“I can certainly return for one more time tomorrow night.”

She kissed my cheek and slid off me, laughing away as cum certainly dripped out of her. What surprised me was the fact she then got down on her knees, and with her eyes only ever looking at mine, she sucked my cock for a few minutes, which she said was to clean me up. Damn, what a woman… asari… Whatever! She then packed it away and did up my fly before helping me up. “How much was the dance?” I asked.

“Private dances are fifty creds.”

I sent her a lot more. When she saw it, the smile on her face was worth it. I wasn’t falling for her or anything like that, but she seemed like a nice girl, and I knew how hard life could be on Omega. I remembered my time on the streets and I didn’t know which would be worse. She might have chosen to sell her body, but I wasn’t so sure, but didn’t want to ask either. She hugged and thanked me, and hoped to see me the next evening.

Walking back out to meet Garrus, he took one look at me and burst into laughter again, suggesting I looked smug and that I’d had a lot more than a dance. I wasn’t going to say anything, though Tara appeared behind me, and she looked like an asari who had just been fucked, causing further laughter from Garrus. “Things never change, Shepard.”

“She’s a sweet girl.”

We sat at the bar and enjoyed a few more beers until it was time to get back. Garrus said he was ready to head out the next morning to find Doctor Solus, and that was good enough for me. Heading back to the _Normandy_, it was later than I thought, as I realised for the first time that the lights were dimmed during the night. Figuring we should probably just to go bed, he took the elevator down first before I headed up to my cabin. I showered again, and I couldn’t the slight grin that remained on my face. _Maybe I should ask her to join for entertainment value?_

It certainly caused me to chuckle at the reaction of certain people if I were to do it.

* * *

Zaeed turned up at the _Normandy_ first thing the next morning, and was ready to join us straight away. Garrus wasn’t one for sympathy, stating he was ready to go at breakfast, though he was soon moaning away as we left the ship about having an on board psychologist, no doubt referring to Kelly. “I don’t like that line of questioning, Shepard.”

“What? Kelly’s sweet.”

“That’s cause you wanna fuck her, Shepard,” Zaeed exclaimed. I guess he had me sussed within a few minutes.

“That’s not the only reason. And Garrus, she just wants to get to know people who are on the ship. She’s not trying to jump you or anything.”

“But you do wanna fuck her, right?” Zaeed asked.

I chanced a glance at Miranda, who tried hard not to look like she was listening, but every single word was being stored for later. I looked back at Zaeed. “I am not one to gossip, Zaeed.”

Garrus muttered something about bullshit. Zaeed muttered something about me definitely wanting to get my dick wet. Jacob chuckled to himself. Miranda was stony silent, as expected. The conversation ceased as we approached the entrance to the quarantined zone. The lone turian guard attempted to stop the five of us from entering, though once I told him we needed to find the doctor, and pretty much threatened to kill him if he didn’t move, he let us in, saying it was ‘our funeral’.

The first thing to assault our senses upon entering the zone was the smell. It was just the dead bodies that lay everywhere. They’d clearly been burning them as well. There were more than a few mutters as we put on our helmets so at least we’d be breathing fresh air, weapons already out. If this was a plague zone, the smart people were locked inside their apartments. Anyone on the streets could be considered either a criminal or just criminally stupid.

Garrus had plenty of information about the area, calling it Gozu District, an area under the control of the Blue Suns. Hearing that name set off a series of expletives from Zaeed, suggesting he had some beef with them, but now wasn’t the time to ask. We walked by the sick and the dying, though was little any of us could really do, and I certainly wasn’t going to go out of my way to help batarians, and I saw a few of them around. I would always blame them for Annie…

When we ran into vorcha instead of blue suns later, even Garrus had to admit surprise. I’d never dealt with vorcha before, so in the middle of a firefight, Garrus explained what they were. Short-lived, stupid, basically pack animals. Nothing redeeming about them whatsoever, so he didn’t believe they were behind the plague at least, but they were clearly making a move against the Blue Suns. _Guess the plague is killing everyone_.

Searching apartments as we moved, some had been left ransacked by looters, others were locked up tight. We found very few survivors, and those we did, we told them to stay bunkered down for the moment, and made sure their doors were secure before leaving. We did run into a few looters on the way, and I shot them without hesitation. Looters are far down the list of people I actually hate, but considering the people on Omega had nothing, if survivors returned to their few possessions being stolen, then all I could say was fuck looters.

Garrus spent half his time directing us where to go, and the other half helping us shoot either vorcha or Blue Suns mercenaries. Zaeed definitely took delight in every bullet that ended up in the armour or uniform of a Blue Suns mercenary, while I practically forgot Miranda and Jacob were with me half the time. They were assisting where necessary, continuing to prove useful with their biotics. I did use my biotic charge occasionally, but I was still getting used to the idea of being a biotic.

The number of bodies were passed was staggering. The death toll must have easily been in the thousands, and what concerned me was that none of the bodies were human. Turian, batarian, asari, salarians, vorcha. All of them were dying from plague, but not humans. “Cerberus?” I asked myself.

“No, Commander. Definitely not,” Miranda retorted, far harsher than she probably meant, “We are not mass murderers.”

“Read some of the reports from two years ago and tell me the same thing again later,” Garrus stated.

I held up a hand, stopping the argument before it began. “Later. Right now, we need to find the doctor. There’s a sign ahead stating there’s a clinic nearby. Let’s get there, grab the doctor, then you can yell at each other.”

Walking into a reception area, it was emptier than I thought it would be. The receptionist behind the counter was quite obviously exhausted, looking up at us with tired eyes. “We’re here to see Doctor Mordin Solus.”

“You and a million other people.”

“Yeah, we’re not sick so it’s okay. We’re here for another reason.”

“If you’re here to help, then great.” She gestured vaguely, adding, “He’s back there somewhere.”

We walked by a few gurneys on which the sick, dying and dead lay, some already covered with sheets to signify the plague had taken them. We found the doctor in what appeared to be a laboratory, busy running what I assumed were tests, and he barely even looked up as the five of us entered. “Doctor Solus?”

Only now did he look up, immediately suspicious, which I guess I couldn’t blame him. His eyes moved from me to the others quite quickly, then back to me. Walking around the gurney, he then opened him omni-tool to perform a quick scan, moving on to other members of the group. "Hmm. Don't recognise you from area. Too well-armed for refugees. No mercenary uniform. Quarantine still in effect. No, here for something else. Vorcha? Crew to clear them out? Unlikely. Vorcha a symptom, not a cause." The salarian paced to a terminal on the other side of the gurney, typing away as he continued to talk, before he made do with pacing in front of me again, bringing his hand to his near non-existent chin as he thought. "Here for the plague? Investigating possible use as bio-weapon?" I couldn't help but glance at Miranda, something she chose to ignore. "No. Too many guns, not enough data equipment. Soldiers, not scientists."

"Doctor Solus! Mordin. Christ on a bike! Relax. Chill out. Take a damn breath. My name's Shepard, formerly Commander. I've come all the way through this bloody hell-hole to find you. I'm on a mission, probably critical to the survival of the human race, and I need your help."

He was rather perturbed by my request. "Mission? What mission? No. Too busy. Clinic understaffed. Plague spreading too fast. Who sent you?" the last question asked with a certain amount of suspicion. _Yep, he's recognised the Cerberus symbols on Miranda and Jacob. This guy is clearly intelligent. No point lying._

“These two,” I said, pointing at Miranda and Jacob, “Are Cerberus. He’s a… turian vigilante…”

“Thanks, Shepard. Nicest thing you’ve ever said about me.”

“And the one in yellow is Zaeed, another mercenary.”

“And who are you with?”

“I am currently unaffiliated.”

“But working alongside Cerberus?”

“For the time being.”

“But Cerberus sent you.” He stopped and took a breath. “Unexpected."

“It’s a long story, Doctor Solus. One I can explain later. Ever heard of the Collectors? They are kidnapping entire human settlements. The Council don't appear to be helping. The Alliance appear unable to stop them. So that leaves us. We're trying to find out why and stop them. And we need your help."

Mordin paced once again as he talked. He was clearly a bundle of nerves. Energy. Something. It was rather amusing as his mind must have moved at a million miles a minute. "Interesting. Plague hitting these slums is engineered. Collectors one of few groups with technology to design it. Our goals may be similar. But must stop plague first."

"How can we help, Mordin?"

The salarian grinned. "Ah, good. Volunteers. Already have cure. Need to distribute it at environmental control centre. Vorcha guarding it. Need to kill them."

“Point us in the right direction and we’ll get the job done.”

Giving Mordin details so we could stay in communication, we headed out of the clinic just as the environmental controls were shut up. Garrus muttered that wasn’t good, and we began to haul arse in the direction Mordin told us to go. We were soon laying waste to what seemed like an army of vorcha. Whatever the case, I was left convinced like Mordin that they couldn’t possibly be behind the plague. They were complete idiots. The five of us quickly figured out to work as a team. I worked at the front, using my biotic change, shotgun continuously blasting. Zaeed worked like how I used to. Jacob and Miranda had obviously worked together before, as they seemed to have telepathic communications. And Garrus was doing his usual from the rear job, watching nearby vorcha lose their heads.

When they started to appear with flamethrowers, we simply hung back and aimed for their fuel packs, causing them to explode, sending flaming bodies flying, the explosions sending other vorcha slamming into walls and crates at the same time. The noise would have been deafening to anyone else but this area seemed to be deserted.

Susceptible to flame as they seemed to be, we all switched our ammo to incendiary and burned the fuckers away. We were not always lucky. Zaeed took a bullet in the shoulder which required a dose of medi-gel immediately and a trip to Chakwas for later. Jacob took one in the leg which simply pissed him off as he had to limp the rest of the way. I had one or two close calls after charging, but usually managed to shoot the enemy before they shot me.

As we moved, we did search for survivors, but there was no-one around. We didn’t even find bodies, assuming they had either been moved by people retrieving, or moved by the vorcha for whatever reason. We did find one survivor, surrounded by three batarians. By the time they noticed us walk into the room, the five of us opened fire, leaving them on the ground as I helped the human to his feet. “Who are you?” I asked.

“Daniel. And you?”

“I’m Shepard. What are you doing out here on your own?”

“I work for Doctor Solus. I’m trying to help the people. Are you here to help too?”

“That we are, kid. We’re going to make sure the spreads.” I thumbed behind us. “It should be safe going back to the lab. Just ignore the bodies. The vorcha got in our way.”

“Sure. Thanks, Shepard.”

We moved on, Garrus knowing exactly where we were, as he seemed to know every inch of the station. He provided a few suggestions as we neared the environmental controls, and it seemed like the vorcha were digging in, as their resistance was heavier the closer we got. They still threw bodies towards us for no reason, forgoing shelter as they ran towards us. Complete idiocy, but it meant they were dying and were not. Continuing to head upstairs, we reached an upper level which Garrus suggested was exactly where we needed to be.

And that’s when we met the first somewhat intelligent vorcha. The thing with language is that we all had a translation implant given to us when we are young so we can understand the languages of the asari, turian etc. But the vorcha were new kids on the block, and not everyone updated their implant. I didn’t quite understand everything the vorcha had to say, but it was enough to suggest they were idiots, and definitely not behind the plague.

"You no come here. We shut down machines, break fans!"

"What's your point?" I asked, almost rhetorically.

"Everyone choke and die! The Collectors make us strong!"

"Guess you were right, Miranda."

"And I thought the Collectors were meant to be intelligent. What the hell do they see in these idiots?" Miranda questioned, more to herself than the rest of us.

"What do the Collectors want?" I asked, wondering if I’d get an honest response.

"Collectors want plague! You work for doctor, turn on machines, put cure in air. We kill you first!"

I shot that vorcha, shot the one next to him, then charged towards the other end, colliding with a third and blasting away a fourth. Once we’d killed all the vorcha present, no real tactics except shoot anything non-human or non-turian, Miranda took the cure and injected it where it needed to be, then we had to get the fans restarted to disperse the cure and make sure the entire zone wasn’t asphyxiated due to lack of oxygen. The vorcha sent piecemeal attacks against us as they restarted, but we wiped the floor with them.

The cure was being dispersed, the fans were back on, the people should now be safe. All in a good day’s work, so we headed back to the lab to collect the doctor. He was still incredibly busy though was pleased to hear our task was successful, checking his omni-tool to take readings. "Environmental systems engaged. Airborne viral levels dropping. Patients improving. Vorcha retreating. Well done, Shepard. Thank you."

“No worries, Doctor. Now, are you ready to join us on the Normandy?”

“Yes. When do you plan on departing?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

“Very well. Let me liaise with Daniel. Good kid, will go far. He can take over running the clinic now that plague is gone. Will join you this evening. Unexpected to be working with Cerberus. Many surprises. But looking forward to it.”

Returning to the _Normandy_, we’d been gone longer than expected, and the first thing we all needed was refreshment and sustenance, so the other four immediately headed to the mess, as I stopped to speak to Kelly about Mordin’s imminent arrival. I said I would probably not be around to meet him, but she would be happy to show him around the ship, and Garrus would be welcome to join, as I hadn’t exactly given him the grand tour yet.

I headed upstairs for a quick shower and change of clothes before joining the other four in the mess for dinner. It still wasn’t the greatest of food, but Gardner could at least work the grill so the hamburgers were okay. Frozen vegetables are never as nice as fresh, but they’d do as well. But it was still better than the slop he’d been serving before. And one of my vices was chips. Not fries. Proper chips that you get from a fish and chip shop.

Garrus asked if I wanted to sink some beers, but I told him I had something else lined up for my last night on Omega. He knew exactly what I meant, told me to have fun, and Zaeed said he wouldn’t mind a beer. When Jacob asked to join in, Garrus was surprised but said he could join in too. “You not going to join in, Miss Lawson?” I asked once they’d disappeared.

“I have work to do, Commander.”

“You can relax, you know. You don’t have to work all day and night. Chill out for a moment.”

“This mission is far too important for to just ‘chill out’, Commander.”

Figuring I wasn’t going to win, I rose to my feet with a shrug. “Well, do whatever you think is best, Miss Lawson. I’m not going to tell you what to do. But I am going to chill out myself.”

“Never thought you’d be someone that pays for sex, Commander.”

I shrugged again. “You’ve never been in the Alliance. What do you think serving men do half the time they are on furlough? Those who don’t have wives, girlfriends, families, they’ll head somewhere with the sole focus of getting laid. Some will try at a bar. Some will want a sure thing. It’s the oldest job in the galaxy, Miss Lawson. I’m not embarrassed about it, and the girl I have lined up is incredibly sweet.”

“Sounds like you like her, Commander.”

“In the sense that I’ve had a good time twice and will have a good third and last time? Yes. But I’m not dumb enough to have feelings for someone in her profession because that would just be stupid on my part. She might even like me as a person, but in the end, it’s physical.”

Miranda rose to her feet. “Well, we could stand here and discuss the philosophy behind it, but I have work to do. Enjoy your night, Commander.”

“I plan on it.”

She scoffed as she turned around, definitely watching that arse disappear again before I headed to the elevator. Kelly was still at her station, waiting for Mordin to arrive. I certainly wasn’t going to tell her what I was up to, so wished her goodnight, and headed back to the airlock.

Tara was definitely waiting for me to arrive, as she was sat in the entrance hallway instead of the club itself. Though surprised to see her there, she stopped me and suggested we head straight to her apartment. That was a good idea so she grabbed my hand and led us back the other way. Once inside, she asked if I wanted a drink first, which seemed like another good idea, taking a seat on the only lounge as she poured two glasses of wine, before kicking off her shoes and sitting next to me, legs curled up under her body as shuffled to face her.

“Busy day?” she asked.

“Saved the day, I guess. Some nasty shit was happening in another area of Omega. Some friends of mine helped us take down some vorcha and stop the plague.”

“That was you?” she asked, a grin forming, “That’s all anyone has been talking about in the club.”

“Well, glad people appreciate it then.”

“There is one thing though, Shepard. Others mentioned that some of the people might have been with a group called Cerberus. I don’t know them that well, but the people were not saying nice things about them. Are you with them?”

“No, I’m not. My armour is jet black. No markings at all. However, Cerberus are here because there’s a group of very nasty things out there kidnapping entire human settlements, and I’m helping them stop the kidnappings.”

“But you’re not Cerberus?”

“Not at all. I used to be with…” I paused immediately, because if I said who I used to be with, surely she’d figure out who I was.

“Who were you with?” she asked quietly, if not a little nervously. Maybe there was a small part of her that thought I could be something worse.

“I used to be with the Alliance.”

It took her five seconds to put two and two together. Then she gasped. “You’re Commander Shepard!” she exclaimed quietly.

I shushed her. “Please… I don’t need too many people knowing that I’m back yet.”

“But you… you were dead. It was galaxy wide news!”

“I wasn’t dead. Not exactly. It’s a long story, Tara, and I’m not sure of everything myself. I was part-dead, part-coma, part-I’m not sure. All I know is that I’m still me, still human, and that’s what matters. And as I said, I’m definitely not Cerberus. But I was out for two years and things are, well, different.”

“And now you’re here with me?”

I met her eyes, the smile telling me everything. “Well, yeah. I couldn’t refuse another night with you before I leave.”

The kiss wasn’t what I expected. Soft, even tender, both of us placing our glasses on the floor as the kiss deepened quickly, Tara quickly ending up on her back as we made out. She was wearing a long dress, which I quickly removed to reveal a matching black bra and panties, which definitely excited me further. I removed her bra first, focusing on her breasts, her hands on the back of my head as I licked and bit her nipples, before sliding my mouth down her body towards her panties, taking those off with my teeth to her giggles, before she lay there naked.

Picking her up rather easily, I carried her over to the bed, laid her down so that her legs dangled off the edge, dropped to my knees on the floor, and proceeded to eat her out. She spread her legs nice and wide for me as I plunged her depths with my tongue, revelling in her taste. I put to the back of my mind everything else about her except she was a lovely girl, we seemed to get on, and she wouldn’t have been with anyone else that day. In fact, I may have been her only client since that first night.

I made her cum hard a little later, but she asked me not to stop. While I didn’t, I did slide a couple of fingers inside her, as I knew asari had that same special spot that human females had. When I found it, her second orgasm was even better, feeling her clench my fingers as she cried out. That’s when I felt the tap on the head, the universal sign that she wanted me to stop. So I stopped that but kissed up her body before kissing her on the lips again. “Goddess,” she whispered, “Keep doing that, even a girl in my line of work is bound to get feelings.”

“Well, something to remember me by at least.”

“I’ve talked about you to all the other girls. Many of them were very jealous.”

I took off my clothes as she moved so we could lie next to each other comfortably on our sides. “Oh, and what did you say?”

“That you’re probably the first client I’ve ever had who seemed to give a shit about me at the same time. As I said, I’m nothing more than a cumdump to those who visit me.”

“Sex should be enjoyed by both parties, whether I’m paying for it or not.”

“So you’ve done this before?”

“Of course. I don’t see the shame in it. It’s a transaction, but I can also like the person I’m doing it with, and want them to enjoy it too.” That earned me another kiss, and that one was definitely with at least some feeling. Rolling onto her back, she took me with her, sliding my cock inside her. I wouldn’t say we made love but it was different to the first two times we’d been together. Far more intimate would be the way to describe it. Her eye contact was something else. Usually she’d look away or close her eyes. That time, she looked right into my eyes. They were beautiful.

I wasn’t going to last forever and soon felt the urge to cum. That’s when she showed how flexible she was, spreading her legs then curling them back so she was completely exposed. “Fuck me,” she urged. What she wanted was what she got, and I was soon pounding her hard, and she seemed to really enjoy it. I certainly did, warning her I was close, so very close…

When I came inside her, I groaned so loud, I’m sure they heard me back on the _Normandy_, finally stopping with my cock deep inside her. She reached down, keeping me in place. “Don’t pull out,” she said quietly. I just leaned down and relaxed on my forearms so I didn’t squash her, feeling one of her arms stroke my back. I stayed in place until my cock was limp enough it simply fell out, collapsing to her side. All she did was immediately roll into me, cuddling into my chest. As I said, intimate.

“Will you stay the night?” she asked.

“What?”

“Stay the night with me.”

“I’m leaving Omega in the morning.”

“That’s okay, but I never have company during an evening. I’d like yours. You know how much an hour is. Just transfer what you think it’s all worth tomorrow morning before you go.”

After agreeing that I’d say, she kissed me again before rolling me onto my back, her lips kissing my chest and down my body before taking my cock in her mouth. God, she was very talented, and I was soon hard as a rock again. She kept blowing me though, enough that I definitely moaned her name more than once. Seeing I was very excited, that’s when she quickly moved herself to lower herself down, moaning as I felt her warmth once again. I happily lay there and watched her ride me. She rarely changed position but she seemed to really enjoy it. I’d been with enough to know when they are faking it, and there wasn’t a chance she was.

“You love my big cock?” I asked.

“God yes. So much better than the needle dicks I usually see.”

“Well, you’ve got one hell of a tight cunt, Tara.”

She met my eyes and smiled. “I’m glad you approve, Shepard. Maybe you can have another taste of it before you leave?”

“Oh, definitely. Maybe in the morning before I go? One last treat from me.”

She was driving me insane with what she was doing. It helped she was utterly beautiful. I even had to remind myself not to think too much, just to enjoy the moment, don’t develop feelings. But I’d had regular girls before, and it was always difficult when you just had chemistry. She eventually leaned forward, running my hands down her back to her arse, adjusting my legs, and she was soon meeting my thrusts, kissing me with far more passion than ever. Breaking the kiss, she cried out, wanting me to fuck her even harder. I obliged, and I was surprised when she enjoyed another orgasm a little later. It was so intense, she even asked me to stop as she settled down, my cock still buried inside her. “Goddess, Shepard, you’re going to ruin this for me!”

“Sorry,” I joked.

She kissed me again, wrapping my arms around her as I managed to sit up, feeling her complete the embrace. She seemed to know what she was doing, as she was soon bouncing up and down on me again, a different angle, one that she definitely liked even more. I had the strength to keep her balanced as her eyes never left mine again. “Want my arse?” she asked quietly.

“No. What I’m inside is better.”

Another smile. “Lot of clients expect it nowadays.”

“Not me. At least, it’s something I rarely do.”

Wrapping her hands around the back of my neck, her face was soon one of concentration as she really started to ride me again. Our bodies were now coated in sweat. Her cheeks were rather red. Her eyes wild with desire. She was breathing heavily from the exertion. “One more orgasm, then I’m going to pin you down…”

“I can’t wait for both,” she whispered.

When she orgasmed, I immediately grabbed her and rolled her over, feeling her legs shake as I grabbed her hands and forced them down onto the back. She simply smiled as her legs stayed wrapped around me, though looser so I could really start to fuck her again.

“Going to cum in me again?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Been so long since I had such a nice thick cock inside me, Shepard.”

“You’re the first girl I’ve been with since I woke up.”

“Really?” she asked quietly, and that admission seemed to affect her a little bit. I leaned down to kiss her, her hands moving to the back of my neck as I was now really driving into her. “Goddess,” she moaned.

“Soon,” I grunted.

It was soon, as I buried myself again and came hard. She laughed as I did, joking that I seemed to cum inside her even more than before. She might have been right, but I just felt rather delirious, resting on a forearm as I’m sure I was just about ready to pass out. I quickly pulled out and lay on my back, sucking in some deep breaths. “Okay, that’s me done for the moment,” I admitted.

“Would you like a shower at least? Bit sweaty now.”

“Give me five, then that’s a good idea.”

Five minutes later, we were in the shower, and I took a lot of pleasure in soaping down her body, and she certainly enjoyed returning the favour. She did take my cock in her mouth again, but I quickly stopped her, as I needed a bit longer to recover. She appreciated the fact that, after I’d washed off all the soap, I simply hugged her. Sometimes, all you want is a little affection.

I’ll admit to feeling a little weird to be spending the night there, but once we were under the sheets, she immediately snuggled back against me, wiggling her butt against my crotch. “Can you hold me?” she asked.

“Of course. That’s what I was going to do anyway.”

“Oh, good… I thought you might have found it weird.”

“I’m staying the night, I’m going to do what a man and woman would normally do when they’re sleeping together.” I kissed her cheek as she got herself comfortable. “Haven’t done this in a while.”

“What?”

“Have a beautiful, young asari in my arms as I’m about to go to sleep.” I paused before adding, “I’ll definitely have questions in the morning.”

“What will you say?”

“That it’s none of their damned business what I do in the evening, but that I did spend it with someone special.”

“You don’t know anything about me though.”

“Okay, I know your name is Tara. How old are you?”

“One hundred and twenty-eight years old.”

“So quite young in asari terms. I assume you went to school?”

“I actually graduated university about thirty years ago. Degree in asari psychology. But my mother said I should go out and enjoy the galaxy, all of its delights, before I settle down into a career. As I said, I didn’t want to do mercenary work, so I chose to become a dancer. Dancing turned into… this.”

“How long, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Only two years, and I’m very particular, as I much prefer the dancing. With this, no more than one client a day, and generally only for a couple of hours. I have one or two regulars I’ll see once every couple of months. Like you, mercenaries or those who travel around the Terminus.”

“Humans?”

“I’ll only have humans and asari as clients. Turian dicks are weird and hurt. Krogan are far too big. Batarians are just creepy. Salarians don’t like to fuck. I know a couple of girls that love Hanar because of all the tentacles.”

“So if I were to return…”

“I’d clear my schedule, Shepard. Those two regulars are people I really like, and looked forward to their return. You’d be just the same.”

“Well, something to look forward to then. But what about your future?”

“I’m not sure, to be honest. I enjoyed what I studied, but I’m not sure I want to become a psychologist. However, it’s helped me with this job to make money. I… well, I know who to target to make money.”

“Was I a target?”

“Well… maybe just a little, because I knew you were interested that first time you saw me dancing. And I knew if you came back, you’d probably want more, so I let the barman know I’d be available. Once I knew you were here for a couple of days, I made sure I was free for you if you wanted to see me again.”

“So I made an impression?”

“In more ways than one, Shepard. You’re the type of client a girl dreams of.”

“Well, no wonder all your friends were jealous.”

“Oh, I had more than one suggestion of offering you a three or four-way. I didn’t know…”

“Nah, I like you, Tara. You’re more than enough for me.”

She spun around and kissed me softly before settling her head under my chin, wrapping my arm around her. “See, that’s why.”

She actually drifted off quite quickly after that, so she must have felt comfortable in my presence. I felt the same, so I drifted off not long later.

The next morning wasn’t awkward at all. She woke up first as she was watching me sleep, feeling a fingertip trace one of my scars. She didn’t ask what it was, simply kissing me good morning before I remembered my promise from the night before, rolled her onto her back, and proceeded to pleasure her body before focusing on her pussy. I made her cum once, and she begged me to make her cum again, so I did what she asked, and when she asked for a third, I was more than happy to oblige. That was all she could take, begging me to stop as she needed a break, so I sat back on my knees, watching as her body shuddered as she giggled to herself. “Goddess,” she cried out. I sat there and waited for her to calm down, and when her eyes looked down towards my crotch, they lit up and she was quickly on her hands and knees, head bobbing up and down.

“Where?” I asked, as I could already feel it arriving.

“Mouth, Shepard. I’m swallowing what you give me.”

“Oh, you are definitely a keeper.”

She received a load a couple of minutes later, and she wasn’t lying, she swallowed nearly every drop. She sat back on her knees and smiled at me, reaching forward to caress her cheek before kissing her softly. When we broke apart, the smile had disappeared. “You’ve got to go?”

“Yeah. I’m sure they’re wondering where I am.”

“One last shower?”

“That I can do.”

We spent most of the time cuddling, and I think there was now some sort of affection between us. I certainly liked her with the proviso it was never going to go anywhere. And she liked me but knowing I would only ever be a client. Still, it was nice to hold someone young and beautiful, and who still liked you regardless.

After I’d dressed, Tara had thrown on a gown and escorted me to the door. I was expecting to just leave like last time, but she pulled my head down and gave me the sort of kiss once would expect from a lover. I wrapped my arms around her body and pulled her close, deepening the kiss even more until I heard her whimper, which made us both smile.

“Do you know when you’ll be back?” she asked after parting.

“No idea, but when I do, I’ll make sure I visit.”

She opened her omni-tool, asked for my contact details, then sent me hers. “When you know you’re coming back, let me know by call or message. I’ll clear my schedule. I can dance for you, we can just have a drink, or we can come back here and do what we did last night.”

“Why not all three?”

She gave me a gentle shove. “Cheeky.”

I kissed her cheek again before I keyed my omni-tool again, typing a few buttons, and waiting for the ping on her own. “I had a fantastic time, Tara. I look forward to doing it again sometime.” I kissed her cheek one last time as she opened her omni-tool and heard her gasp as she saw the sum. She started to blink rapidly as I wished her goodbye and turned to walk down the hallway. I heard her own goodbye in between a couple of choked sobs before I reached the door that led me out into Omega.

Miranda was tapping her foot impatiently as I walked through the airlock. “Where have you been, Commander?”

“None of your business, Miss Lawson. I’m in a really good mood right now and don’t need it bringing down.”

“We should have departed forty-five minutes ago.”

“I was doing something far more important,” I retorted, waving her away as I walked towards the galaxy map.

“And what would that be, Commander? Fucking a whore?”

The ship went practically silent at that, and I felt every member of crew look in our direction. Even Joker spun his chair around to watch. I felt my fists clench as I strode back towards her. “Say that again, _Miss_ Lawson?” I growled.

To her credit, she firmed her jaw and met my eyes. “You heard me, Commander. Don’t you think it’s a little unbecoming of your position to be cavorting with a whore?”

The only reason… the only reason I didn’t slap the shit out of her then and there is I didn’t know how the crew would react, as in, would they come to her defence? I barely knew any of them but figured they were all as loyal to Cerberus as she was. I’d probably have a mutiny on my hands within the first week of command.

“Where I spend my evenings off the ship is none of your business.”

“It is when it causes the commanding officer of this vessel to be running late.”

“I don’t actually remember authorising a time for departure, Miss Lawson. All I said is that we would be departing in the morning. EDI, can you clarify if I gave a time of departure for this morning?”

_“Checking data… According to ship logs, there is no time of departure provided for the Normandy this morning as signed off by Commander Shepard.”_

I made sure my smile was as smug as possible. “There we go. So I have no idea what time you happened to pull out of your arse, Lawson, but the ship will depart when I say it will depart. Get it through that skull of yours that I am in command of this vessel and you are its XO.” I raised a finger. “And if you ever, and I mean _ever_, call her that word again, you had better pray to any deity you believe in that you’re wearing armour and have something to defend yourself with, because I will bring down the wrath of the gods themselves on your arse.” I stood to the side and looked away. “You’re dismissed, Miss Lawson. Ship departure time will be given when I deem appropriate.”

She was smart enough to say, “Yes, Commander.”

As the click of her heels disappeared, I turned to Joker. “I’ll have a destination for you in around ten minutes, Joker. Likely place will be the Citadel.”

“I’ll be ready when you are, Commander.”

Walking down the gangway towards the CIC, the crew got back to work though I heard the whispers. The fact I’d just torn strips off the XO isn’t exactly what I’d want to do under normal circumstances, but this wasn’t the Alliance. I was stuck working with an organisation I detested, and with people I didn’t know I could trust. And I was not going to have my authority undermined in such a manner.

“Are you okay, Shepard?” Kelly asked, looking a little unsure.

I flicked open my terminal but looked her way. “I feel great, Kelly. I had a good night, now it’s time to get back into the action.”

“Good to know. Would you like a coffee?”

“I’d love one, Kelly. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Do you know where we will be headed soon?”

“Aye, I do. Time to head to the Citadel and get some answers about just what the fuck has been going on the previous two years. I have a feeling it’s going to be things I do not want to hear.”


	23. Book 2, Chapter 4 - Citadel

I honestly thought our ship would have been fired upon immediately after exiting the relay, the giant space station known as the Citadel lying off in the distance. But the Illusive Man must have used his connections, as although we couldn’t use Alliance shipping lanes and docks, we were allowed to proceed along civilian shipping lanes, eventually docking in an area of the Citadel I certainly wasn’t used to.

Once the ship docked, Miranda approached me with a datapad on which there was the rota of staff who would remain on the ship, the rest being given time off the ship. Very few had a chance or had wanted to leave the ship on Omega, and since I didn’t know how long we’d be on the Citadel, I figured a few hours for most people wouldn’t do any harm.

So the crew were now anxiously waiting to leave the ship as it docked, hearing the pressure equalise and the door ping to let us know it was now safe to leave. “Do I have to stand here and give you all a speech about behaving?”

“No, sir,” was the immediate reply.

“I am aware of the organisation we are all here representing in one capacity or another. No matter what your core beliefs, be aware that Cerberus is not popular in these parts. So try not to draw attention to yourselves. It would be best if you avoided wearing any clothing with the symbol, though it is your choice as to following that advice or not. Other than that, the rota has been sent out and you know when your shifts are. Otherwise, you are free to come and go as you please, but be ready to depart at a moment’s notice in case something goes wrong. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Okay. Then enjoy your shore leave. Try not to come back bloodied, bruised or blind drunk.”

I stepped to the side as the crew walked off in pairs or small groups. Zaeed was still dressed in his armour, suggesting he’d take a look around, as he’d only ever transited via the Citadel, never stopping for longer than a couple of hours. Miranda would remain on the ship, so Jacob was taking the opportunity to get off the ship, taking my advice by wearing casual clothing. As for Garrus, he would be joining me in heading to see whoever would be willing to see me. I wasn’t hopeful but I figured having an ally who had been at my side while taking down Saren couldn’t hurt.

“Well, at least they let us dock,” he stated as we walked away from the ship.

“I was still expecting to be blown out of the sky. I mean, the ship’s got a massive Cerberus logo on it. Someone, that someone being the Illusive Man, has definitely pulled some strings, spread a little influence.”

“Or they’ve heard you’re back and want to hear your side of the story?”

“Or I’m walking into a trap, I’ll be arrested, interrogated, and the Collectors will continue to do as they please until someone finally listens to me.”

Heading into the embassy area, somewhere more familiar than the docks where we had landed, there were small signs of the carnage that had taken place two years ago but there was no real surprise to see the Presidium and the Citadel Tower had been repaired first. I’d noticed on the flight in the reconstruction taking place along the Wards. Guess that was always going to take time, but still, no surprise the Council would focus on themselves first.

The receptionist was definitely taken aback when looking up from her screen to see me standing in front of her. Asking who was in the Alliance embassy, she said Captain Anderson was in though Councillor Udina was not at his desk. “That’s fine, I’ll speak with Anderson for now.”

“I’ll let him know you’re coming.”

“Oh, I’m sure he already knows I’m here.”

Walking into Udina’s office, whether it was still the one he used, Anderson was wearing Alliance blues, and I could see the Council had already convened, noticing the turian, asari and salarian councillors, or their holographic forms anyway. Anderson turned and actually seemed pleased to see me. “Shepard, good to see you!”

I’d always respected the man, and though there wasn’t a salute, he offered his hand, which I accepted. “It’s been a while. sir. I hope you’re doing alright.”

“There have been some rough spots, but it’s good to have you back.”

The Council wasted no time getting down to grilling me. No surprise there. Councillor Valern was the first to turn the screw. “We’ve heard many rumours surrounding your unexpected return. Some of them are… unsettling.”

“We called this meeting as soon as your ship arrived through the relay, so you could explain your actions, Shepard,” Councillor Tevos added, “We owe you that much. After all, you saved our lives in the battle against Saren and his geth.”

I sighed immediately, sharing a glance with Garrus, who shrugged his shoulders helplessly, as if to say ‘I told you so’. As for Anderson, he didn’t look my way, so I looked back at the Council. “So what I’ve been told was true. Look, you know, I know, Saren wasn’t the one commanding the geth. It was the Reaper, Sovereign.”

“Ah, yes. Reapers,” Councillor Sparatus status, mocking me with air quotes, “The immortal race of sentient starships allegedly waiting in dark space. We have dismissed that claim.”

“How can you dismiss a claim when parts of the Reaper landed all across the fucking Presidium?” I retorted.

“Shepard, no-one else encountered the hologram on Ilos that told you the truth about the Reapers,” Anderson stated, “Only you and your crew every spoke with Sovereign. I believe you, but without evidence from another source, the others think Saren was behind the geth attacks.”

“Have you even spoken to Liara T’Soni about all of this?” I asked all of them, “Unless you think she was full of shit as well. Or how about Urdnot Wrex? Even Garrus here could have told you all about the Reapers. Are you calling them liars are well? Or insane? Trust me, I’ve heard the stories.”

“The Reapers are a myth, Shepard,” Sparatus retorted, “One that you and your followers keep perpetuating.”

“Has anyone even investigated the millions of bits of Sovereign that fell onto the Presidium? You cannot honestly believe it’s a geth creation?!”

“We do not believe it is anything except exactly that,” Valern replied.

It was like talking to a brick wall. In fact, worse than that, it was like speaking to Saren. I almost believe for a moment that the fools had been indoctrinated themselves. The evidence had been as clear as day. Anyone who thought Sovereign was anything but a Reaper was deluded.

“The geth are capable of remarkable technological achievements, Shepard. This is probably why Saren recruited them,” Tevos added.

Then Sparatus came at me hard. “This Reaper theory proves just how fragile our mental state is. You have been manipulated, by Cerberus and before them, by Saren.”

“Fuck you, Councillor. I kept Saren from conquering the Citadel and the Reapers from flooding through and destroying the galaxy. I sacrificed human lives to save your sorry arses. I should have just let them burn this whole sorry place to the fucking ground. Morons, absolute fucking morons. You know what? I’m done here.”

I was about ready to go when Tevos then issued a veiled threat. “We are in a difficult position, Shepard. You are working for Cerberus, an avowed enemy of the Council. That is treason, a capital offence.”

“That is too far!” Anderson shouted, even catching me by surprise, “Shepard is a hero. If Councillor Udina were here, he wouldn’t let this whitewash continue.”

I didn’t believe that for a second. I’d made an enemy out of Udina long ago. He’d love nothing more than throwing my sorry arse to the wolves. So I looked at Garrus. “Garrus, am I working for Cerberus?”

“No, Shepard. Not as far as I know. Am I?”

“No, you’re not either.” I looked back at the Council. “Whatever gave you the idea that I’m working for Cerberus?”

“The fact you have been seen in the company of their operatives,” Valern replied.

“Merely assisting with an issue on Omega.”

“And the fact you have arrived at the Citadel on one of their ships,” Sparatus added.

“Merely providing transport for me to go from Omega to here.” They knew it was bullshit, so did I, Garrus and Anderson. “So I guess I’m not getting any help from you again then? Should have fucking known this was a waste of time. Come on, Garrus. I’ve got other fish to fry. At least I don’t have to waste…”

“Before you go, Shepard, perhaps you should hear me out,” Tevos stated, “Maybe there is a compromise that this can work. We cannot give a public acknowledgement, given your ties, but something to show peripheral support for what you are doing.”

Now it was my turn. “What, you mean the thousands upon thousands of human colonists that are being kidnapped by a race called the Collectors, that once again the Council is refusing to lift a finger to help with? You did the same when Saren was running riot and now you’re doing the same again, sitting on your hands, doing fuck all to help,” I laughed before adding, “And this time, we’re even a member of the fucking Council and still you won’t do a damned thing to help out. I mean, fuck me gently, what does humanity have to do to actually get help from people they call allies?”

Tevos then offered an olive branch. “If you keep your activities restricted to the Terminus Systems, the Council is willing to offer you reinstatement as a Council Spectre.”

“This is a show of good faith on our part, Shepard,” Valern added. I looked at Sparatus, who remained silent. I had a feeling he didn’t agree. And then Tevos added more about the Council not able to get involved, the usual bullshit I heard from them when Saren was attacking human colonies. But apparently giving me my Spectre status was a show of support. One man and one ship, just like before, instead of sending a fucking armada to deal with the problem.

I glanced at Garrus. “What do you think?”

"Well, throwing it back in their face probably won’t do us any good, though I can understand the feeling of wanting to tell them to go fuck themselves.”

“It is tempting.”

“Shepard,” Anderson warned quietly, “Take the offer, otherwise you will be persona non grata, and the Alliance will involve themselves.”

“I guess that’s a second not so subtle warning,” I muttered before I sighed. “Very well. I thank the Council for their offer and I accept your proposal.” I might be hot-headed at times but I’m not an idiot, and I didn’t need the Council as enemies, as they’d definitely send a Spectre after me. Probably more than one, to be honest.

“Thank you, Shepard. While you insist you are not working for Cerberus, it is clear that you are working alongside them during this task. We can only hope your relationship with them will end quickly.”

“You and I both, ma’am. But it’s a means to an end.”

The three holographs blinked out as I found a chair to finally sit down in, Garrus taking one of the chairs next to me, as Anderson sat behind the desk. “You realise it’s just symbolic. Council won’t do a damned thing.”

“Long as they don’t get in my way, Anderson, I honestly don’t give a shit. But staying on good terms will have a benefit in the long run. What about the Alliance?”

“Now that you’re a Spectre, their options are limited. If Admiral Hackett doesn’t already know you’re back, I’ll let him know immediately. You’ll always have an ally in him. I’m sure others will be glad to hear of your return. We’ll try and keep the Cerberus link under wraps, but it’s going to be difficult.”

He was interrupted by the sound of Udina’s voice as he walked through the door into the office. I spun around in my chair and made sure I had a grin on my face as he glared daggers in my direction. “What are you doing here, Shepard?”

“Shooting the shit with an old friend, getting things sorted. Just had a meeting with the Council as well. Didn’t get what I wanted but could have been worse.”

Udina saw red about that, mentioning things like a political shit-storm and moaning about being stabbed in the back. I just looked at Garrus and rolled my eyes. Udina and Anderson had a tit-for-tat, which I didn’t get involved in, except when he threatened to sack Anderson. “Oi, this man was just doing his job and he’s got a win for all of us. So pull your head out of your arse, Udina,” I warned.

He glared at me again before he gave it some thought. Then he mentioned one or two other things, particularly about keeping his distance, then he chose to piss off, much to my enjoyment. Anderson then filled me in with what I’d missed, particularly on the Citadel, but it was what I’d heard from Garrus and Miranda. Losing nearly an entire fleet hadn’t helped the Alliance, and they were in the middle of building up that fleet, while moving the others around. With the Collectors on the rampage, it was more a case of where would they strike next, and moving fleets around wasn’t an easy job. And they couldn’t go leaving other areas undefended, particularly along the frontier. It all made sense, but it was still annoying.

“How long are you staying on the Citadel?” he finally asked.

“No idea. Not long probably. I have a feeling I won’t be particularly welcome for the time being.”

“You know I’d like to help but my hands are tied. Udina will certainly be watching me now after the stunt we’ve just pulled. But I’ll keep in contact, best I can.”

I rose to my feet, Garrus doing the same. “It was good to see you, sir. I’d fill you in with more of what happened, but I could be here all day explaining.”

“Short story, Shepard.”

“I was pretty much dead. Cerberus retrieved my body, spent billions putting me back together, I woke up maybe a week or so ago. The Illusive Man has given me a ship, staff, credits, guns, armour, possible recruits, and a mission to stop the Collectors. If the Council won’t, and the Alliance can’t, then I’ll do what I need to do.” I paused before asking, “How long did the Alliance search for my body?”

“A week at most.”

“And the Council?”

“They didn’t.”

I scoffed. “Typical. Save their arses and don’t even have the decency to look for my body.”

“There’s a statue of you on Elysium if you want to go see it. Think one or two other worlds were thinking of doing the same thing.”

“His ego is big enough, Anderson,” Garrus joked.

“Keep it up, funny man, and I’ll be locking you in the front batteries.” I paused. “No, that’s no punishment. You’d fucking love it.”

Anderson escorted us to the door, shaking hands again, offering me a final good luck, before Garrus and I headed back out into the middle of the Presidium. “Shepard, if you don’t mind, I’m going to go see Chloe. How long will we be here?”

“Long enough for you to get laid and spend the night. Go have some fun, Garrus.”

“And what are you going to do?”

“See an old friend.”

I watched Garrus walk away as I headed towards the nearest taxi rank. Heading towards one of the Wards, it was good fortune I remembered her address. I didn’t think she’d be home but I’d attempt once and then just return if she wasn’t. Getting out of the taxi, I walked into the foyer and straight for the lift, taking it up to the floor. Her door hadn’t changed so all I did was knock. I knocked again twice more but there was no response, so I headed downstairs towards the nearest coffee shop.

While I was there, Miranda sent me a message. A simple ‘Read this please’, opening the attachment to see another dossier. _Kasumi Goto. Professional thief. On the Citadel. Meet her at the docks._ Checking the time, I figured my old friend was going to be at least a couple more hours, so I caught a cab back to the docks and checked the dossier again. It mentioned I’d need a password. _Fuck, that’s all I need. Cloak and daggers._

Wandering around aimlessly, the only way I knew something was amiss was when a nearby advertisement started talking to me. Walking towards it, the face of a hooded woman appeared. I could only see lips with a purple marking and rather pale skin, but the rest of her face was in shadow.

“Commander Shepard. Enter the password and receive a free gift!”

I really felt like telling her this was stupid, but I said, “Silence is golden.”

“Good to finally meet you, Commander Shepard. I’m Kasumi Goto. Big fan of yours.”

I looked around and saw a woman up on the next level, in the shadows. I knew it was her but looked back at the screen. “What’s with all the sneaking around? You’re not the only one looking at a world of trouble with all this.”

“I’m the best thief in the business, not the most famous. Need to watch my step to keep it that way. I also needed to make sure this was legit. And you’re definitely him.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“There’s an aura about you, Shepard, like you’ve seen things no-one else has seen. Plus, I had a picture of what you looked like. You’re him, so don’t worry.”

“Okay, there’s got to be a catch. You won’t be working for free. And Cerberus would have to have offered you something to join up.”

“You’re right, Shepard. Short version, they were looking for me, I trailed them to find out why, they explained the missions’ importance, and it came with a serious signing bonus. I have a thing I need help with, which I can explain to you later, so I made the deal.”

“Okay, I’ll ask about the thing later. Do you need anything before going aboard?”

“Nope, just wanted to meet and greet before we left.” And, with that, the screen went blank and before I knew it, she was standing next to me. She was short, only about five-four, five-five at most, slim, but clearly athletic considering she must have jumped down from the walkway above. Her face was still covered by the hood. “Well, you’re more impressive from down here, Shepard.”

“I seem to make an impression most of the time.”

“When are we leaving?”

“Tomorrow morning, Citadel time. If you have stuff that needs taking aboard, you’re free to take it on. Otherwise, you can come and go as you please but just be on the ship when we leave.”

“No worries, sir,” she replied, a mock salute in my direction.

I couldn’t help laugh as she was clearly going to be a lot of fun. She didn’t seem to have any luggage but assumed it might be nearby. Checking the time, it was starting to get late, so I grabbed a taxi and headed back to the same Ward as earlier, and took a seat at the same coffee shop, enjoying two drinks before the person I wanted to see appeared. I watched her disappear so figured I’d give it at least a little time before I just showed up at her door. I had a third coffee, thinking the caffeine was going to keep me awake all night, before I paid the bill and wandered across towards the building.

I was standing in front of her door a couple of minutes later, knocking lightly. “Coming,” I heard a voice shout from inside. When she opened the door, I think she nearly passed out from the shock.

“Hello, Emily,” I said softly.

I think she went between wanting to burst into tears, slap me, or give me a hug. Thankfully she went with the last option, practically jumping on me, arms and legs wrapped tightly around my body as I walked inside, knocking the door closed with my foot. “I can’t believe it!” she cried, leaning back so she could meet my eyes, “I’ve heard the rumours. Your name is being talked about by every station on the Citadel and back on Earth. The man who came back from the dead.” She then seemed to realise I’d carried her into the living room, so she finally unwrapped herself so I could place her on the ground. “It’s been so long, Shepard. How long have you been back?”

“I woke up around a week ago. I only got back to the Citadel today.”

“You want a drink or something?”

“I’ve just had three coffees.”

“Oh, I’m talking alcohol, Shepard. Want a beer or something?”

“That I’ll definitely accept.” I took a seat on one of her couches, relaxing immediately, as she returned with a bottle of beer for me and a glass of wine for herself. She sat next to me, rather close, so I figured she was pleased to see me. “Though you were going to give me a good old slap when seeing my face.”

“The thought briefly crossed my mind for a second. But it was far too good seeing you. A hug seemed more appropriate. But enough about me. Shepard, where the hell have you been? I mean, they had a funeral, put you in the ground, figuratively speaking, and you’ve since become a bit of a legend. Others, well…”

“Yeah, insane. I’ve been told. Council pretty much called me delusional when I met them earlier.”

“So what happened to you?” I explained what I’d already told Anderson and the Council. The short story, she didn’t need the long version where I told her that I was practically dead and brought back like Lazarus. I think that was his name. “So… Cerberus. You’re not part of them?”

“No. But they are giving me everything I need to fight the Collectors.”

“I’ve been reporting on the disappearing colonists. Alliance didn’t have a clue. Although they were covering a lot of it up at the same time.”

“That comes as no surprise because they appear to be clueless. And the Council are giving their usual lip service.” My tone obviously spoke volumes. “Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to come here and complain. What about you, Emily?”

“I’m now the news presenter on Alliance Network news. I do the midday and evening bulletins.”

“No more investigative journalism?”

“I’ll be honest, they offered me a lot of money. I made a name for myself thanks to the help you provided. The ANN didn’t want to lose me so offered me a great big fat salary to keep me. Good thing they did as other networks were definitely offering comparative salaries. I owed them some loyalty, at least.”

“Personal life?”

“Well, after you disappeared, I have dated here and there, but I’m generally too busy as I still do some jobs on the side. Mostly Citadel based stuff. Council are dirty as anything, Udina being the worst. Corruption is everywhere, but I guess you’d know that. The only organisation that seems cleaner than before is C-Sec. Couple of hard-heads have taken charge, really cleaned out the place.”

I listened but it wasn’t what I wanted to know. “So you’re single right now?”

She laughed at the insinuation. “Yes, I’m single, Shepard. No, I’m not sleeping with you straight away. I was… gutted when I received the news. No, not gutted. You made me cry!”

“Sorry. I would like to say it wasn’t my fault. Still not sure who blew up the old Normandy.”

“I dealt with the grief, as did a lot of people. Have you contacted many of the old crew who survived?”

“I found Garrus Vakarian on Omega. I assume you heard the rumours I was there?” She nodded. “He’s the only one I’ve met up with so far.” I paused. “No, wait, I did meet Tali’Zorah. She was on Freedom’s Progress rescuing a quarian, though she chose not to join me. Cerberus connection made it a no go. No idea about the rest. I’ll find out eventually.”

“And now you’re back, ready to save humanity if not the galaxy again?”

“So it seems.”

“Don’t suppose you’d care to give me an interview?”

“Not right now as I can’t tell you all that much. Wait until I’ve dealt with the Collectors, then I’ll give you the whole story.”

“Just don’t die this time.”

I heard the emotion in her voice that time, so I put the bottle on the table and wrapped an arm around her as she leaned into me, kissing the top of her head. “Figured me returning would cause some issues.”

“You can stay the night if you want, but I’m serious, no sex. I can’t deal with that level of emotion. Just seeing you again is almost too much for me right now. I only stopped missing you after a year.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“Don’t be. You’re a soldier, and one thing soldiers tend to do is die. But, to be honest, I don’t think anyone expected you to disappear like you did. After everything you survived, the way your ship was destroyed, from all the reports, it just didn’t feel right with a lot of people.”

“I haven’t had much time to think about it due to extenuating circumstances. Haven’t really had the chance to even read about it. I could ask Anderson to send me some reports and do a little digging but it’s been two years. I wonder what I’d even find after all this time.”

“Do you want to head out for dinner?” she asked, changing the subject.

“Now that’s a plan.”

We finished our drinks and headed downstairs, holding her hand as we strolled along. She knew a little diner not far from her apartment that she visited at least once a week, as it was convenient. The menu was eclectic, a little bit of everything from Earth. I went with the cheeseburger and fries, while she went with the caesar salad. I found the idea of going with a salad humorous, though when she suggested a shake to go with it, I could only shake my head. “I’m treating myself, Shepard,” she said, “Salad is good, shake is bad. And you’re eating a cheeseburger.”

“Yes, but I’ll work it all off in the gym tomorrow morning.”

The food arrived quite quickly, and I end up scoffing it as usual. It was the habit of a soldier. When you ate, you ate quickly, as no-one wanted to be forced to leave behind a half-eaten meal when an emergency happens. So I ended up watching Emily finish her salad, though she offered me some of her shake at the same time. I wasn’t keen for desert, so we headed out after I settled the bill, claiming that Cerberus has already forwarded me a substantial number of credits, and I was going to spend every single one.

Finding a park reminiscent of those back on Earth, we took a seat on a bench by a fountain and relaxed, chatting away about nothing in particular. Since I didn’t know much about the last two years, she told me more stories about life on the Citadel, particularly in those first few months after the attack, when the rebuilding was taking place at a furious pace, bits of Sovereign were being moved, the dead were still being found under piles of rubble. Funerals took place very day for months. It had been a tough time for most inhabitants on the Citadel.

With Garrus also absent from the ship, I messaged Miranda, informing her I would be returning to the ship in the morning. No argument this time, a simple reply stating she understood and would await further instructions. I definitely smirked when I read it, earning a curious glance from Emily. “Guess I can be honest. My relationship with the XO hasn’t been exactly smooth. Doesn’t help she’s a loyal Cerberus officer, and she knows I have no time or sympathy for anyone wearing the symbol.”

“So what will you do?”

“What’s required. Get the job done, then leave. I don’t owe anyone there any favours. It was their choice to bring me back.”

“You don’t like being back?”

“Of course I do! I just mean… If they think I owe them loyalty because of it, they’re going to be sadly mistaken.”

Heading back to her apartment, she told me that she didn’t want a late one as she did have work the next morning. I said heading to bed was fine. I thought for a moment she’d put me on the couch, but she took my hand and led me to the bedroom, so that was a positive. She didn’t strip nude, leaving on her underwear, while putting on a shirt that covered most of her body. I left my underwear on at least as we slid under the covers, lying on our sides as we looked at each other. She made the first move rather quickly by kissing me. Then she needed a cuddle as she released a few tears.

“Sorry,” I repeated. I had a feeling I might be saying that to a few people.

“No. I’m happy you’re back, Shepard,” she whispered, “Part of me wants nothing more than to make love right now. But it’s too much. I can feel your hands on me now, but I wonder if I’m going to wake up soon and think it was all just a dream.”

“I’m real,” I whispered in her ear. She lifted her face towards mine, moving a hand so I could clear her cheek with my thumb. “I’m here right now,” I added softly, moving her hand, pressing her fingers into my neck, “Feel that? Heartbeat. It’s probably pumping slightly faster than usual due to the company.” That made her giggle at least. “It’s pumping somewhere else too, but we’ll ignore that tonight.”

“Snuggling with my butt into your crotch won’t be a good idea.”

“Probably not.”

“I’m glad you’re back, Shepard.”

“So am I, Emily. You were one of the first people I thought about when I woke up and I was told everything that happened. Bit of a shock.”

“I bet.”

She snuggled into me, feeling her breath on my chest as her head rested under my chin. I felt her relax and get comfortable, and it was a real reminder of old times, when we’d happily cuddle together on the bed or the couch, sometimes after having made love, sometimes just enjoying the company of each other. I think I might have fallen asleep first for once, but it didn’t really matter, as I woke up next to her the following morning, feeling her fingers on my face, not just focusing on the scars, but taking in all my features. She kissed me softly before offering breakfast, throwing on the same clothes as the previous day as she showered and dressed at the same time. Breakfast was simple but filling, before she apologised for needing to rush out. I didn’t mind, escorting her out of the apartment block to the nearest taxi rank.

We hugged and kissed again before she asked, “When will you back on the Citadel?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve been warned by both the Council and Alliance to keep my presence here to a minimum. But I’ll certainly visit when I can.”

She opened her omni-tool, typed for a few seconds, and a message pinged. “I guess they found your old omni-tool at least but that’s my new number. Let me know whenever you’re back and we’ll meet up. Next time you’re here, we’ll catch up properly.”

“It’s a date.”

A last kiss, and she needed to go, opening the door for the taxi before she waved as I closed the door, the taxi quickly taking off into the sky. I hopped in the next one along, arriving back near the docks only a few minutes later. Boarding the ship, Miranda wasn’t waiting around for me this time, though I asked EDI if everyone was present and accounted for. The AI confirmed everyone required was present, including Garrus, Zaeed and Kasumi, so I ordered Joker to take us out and I’d send him a destination shortly.

Heading to my terminal, I checked for any messages. Seeing nothing of particular importance, there was a datapad sitting nearby, which I knew was another recruit. Checking the information, I headed to the galaxy map and inputted the data Joker required. He reported within a couple of minutes the journey time, and we would only be arriving at best the afternoon of the next day. That was fine with me, so he set about departing the Citadel.

Turning back to my terminal, Kelly approached with a mug of coffee. “Thought you’d like one, Shepard.”

“I’m starting to think you’re a mind reader, Kelly.”

“Oh, I’m sure there are certain things I don’t know,” she replied, heading back to her terminal, “But how did you find the Citadel?”

I headed to where she was standing, leaning against the railing around the galaxy map, sipping on my drink before replying. “Honestly, pretty much a waste of time. Council gave me back my Spectre status, but it means nothing in the grand scheme of things. There was one more than one veiled threat against me because of my association with Cerberus.”

That made her fingers stop typing away. “Do they consider us that much of a threat?”

“They called Cerberus an avowed enemy of the Council. They consider what I’m doing treason against the Council. I’m fairly sure the Alliance think the same thing.”

“Well, I think that’s just ridiculous. We are doing the right thing,” she said, beginning to type away. I didn’t feel like getting into an argument then and there about what I’d seen before. If we looked primarily at what Cerberus was doing now, she was right. “But at least you’re a Spectre. That should open some doors surely.”

“It’ll be keep the Alliance off my back, at least. The Council said they won’t interfere. But I was warned to basically stay away from Council space for the time being. I’ll ignore it, of course. I’ll fly my ship where I want.”

“Have you thought about when the Collectors are defeated?”

“I have.”

She stopped typing, now looking up at me. “And?”

“Let’s just see how things go, Kelly. Early days yet. All I know is that the Council have proven as worthless as before, I’m not sure what the Alliance want, and Cerberus, despite everything, are the only organisation willing to give me what I need to get the job done.”

“Does it not sit easily?”

“To be honest, no it doesn’t.”

“Maybe we’ll change your mind about us the longer you work with us.”

“We’ll see. As I said, it’s early days yet.” I sipped on my drink again. “I do enjoy the company of some people here though.”

She didn’t look up from her terminal but the smile was obvious. “Well, maybe those people could end up changing your mind about everything.”

“What I do want tonight is for all of us to get together for a meal in the mess then drinks tonight so we can get to know each other. We’ll have to do that each time we recruit so the new team member can feel at ease quickly. I honestly don’t know many people here. If we’re going to work together, I want to know who you are.”

She looked up again, the smile still on her face. “We all know who you are, Commander Shepard.”

“Only what you’ve read. You don’t know… _me._ So, can you send a message to everyone please, with a time for dinner and then letting them know we’ll have drinks in the lounge after?”

“Of course, Shepard. Anything else?”

I felt like saying ‘How about your company upstairs afterwards?’ as the longer I stood there, the more attracted I was, because she was gorgeous. I adore redheads but it was those green eyes every time she looked at me. They simply… dazzled. And she knew I was thinking that, and she was definitely attracted in return, as I know when a woman returns my attraction. “Nothing else right now, Kelly. I’m going to have a chat with our newer recruits and see what they want or need.”

Asking EDI where Kasumi had based herself, I dropped down one level and wandered into the lounge to see she had already made herself at home, busy placing things on a bookshelf. Turning around as I wandered in, I was greeted with a friendly, “Hey, Shep.”

“Shep?”

“Don’t like it?” I shrugged. Better than being called ‘Commander’ when I wasn’t one anymore. “If you’re wondering, and your slightly furrowed brow suggests you are, I’m making myself at home in here. I didn’t particularly want to bunk with the regular crew. I like my own space.”

“Well, people might come and go in here but we’ll make sure your sleep pattern isn’t disturbed,” I said while taking a seat on a chair.

She took a seat opposite me. “So, come to grill the new recruit?”

“I don’t need to delve too deep and personal right now. Just want to know what you know. So you know this is an important mission. Heard of the Collectors?”

“No. They don’t sound friendly though.”

“That they are not. Long story short, they’re kidnapping humans from our colonies. For what purpose? We don’t know. Where are they? We don’t know. Where will they strike next? We don’t know. What are we doing now? Building a team, investigating leads, then we’ll take the fight to them. Ever worked out in the Terminus Systems?”

“Very rarely.”

“There’s a relay out there called the Omega Four. Apparently leads to the Collector homeworld. We need to find a way of getting through it.”

“I’m guessing that won’t be easy?”

“No ship that’s gone through has returned.”

“Ah, so a possible suicide mission. No wonder Cerberus threw money at me.”

“Zaeed said the same thing. Just my luck though. Come back from the dead to be given a suicide mission.”

“You don’t plan on dying though, do you?”

“I’d rather I didn’t again so I’m sure there are ways and means we can avoid it. Ship improvements. Better armour and weapons. A way of making it back in one piece. But that’s for later.”

“Where are we heading now?”

“Another recruit. Should be interesting considering he’s in prison. We’re not breaking him out though. Just a transfer into our custody.”

“Do you need to know my skills before you take me out onto the field?”

“I’d assume you have a few otherwise you wouldn’t be here, Kasumi. I’ll take you out and judge for myself.”

“That’s fair enough. My sneaking will come in handy and I have a tactical cloak as well. Always good when breaking and entering. Other than that, I’m skilled with small to medium weapons, things like pistols and sub-machine guns. And I’m obviously athletic and flexible.”

“Good to know. I’ll take you along when we get to the prison and see how things develop from there. I used to work with a small team of five, but depending on how many people I end up recruiting, I might end up taking more.”

“I’ll be ready, one way or the other, Shep.”

I left her to settle in further, figuring I may as well have a chat with the other new recruit. We’d already fought alongside together once when collecting Mordin, but hadn’t really chatted to him all that much. He’d made himself home at least. No real mementoes of a life lived. He had a simple bunk, a duffel bag with a few clothes, a whole bunch of weapons laying around, and not a lot else. He was sat on little more than a camp stool, reading a datapad.

“Settling in okay, Zaeed?”

“Yeah, much prefer it down here, Shepard. Hopefully a bit quieter than up near the mess. Like my own space.”

“Need anything to make it more comfortable?”

He looked up and laugh. “Comfortable? I’m a fuckin’ mercenary, Shepard. I’ve spent more time sleeping in ditches than I care to remember. Trust me, this room is fuckin’ luxury compared to what I’m used to.”

“What else you done besides mercenary work?” I asked, taking a seat on one of the crates.

“Erstwhile bounty hunter. Spent all my time working around the Terminus Systems. Council and Alliance don’t look kindly upon my sort of work. Before all that, I worked for a mercenary outfit.”

“Blue Suns?”

“Yeah, that bunch. It’s a long story, Shepard, don’t feel like discussin’ it now. But the Suns and I go way back.”

“No problem. I assume the Illusive Man has compensated you well for this?”

“Yep. I survive all this, I’m retiring. And I got that message from your sweetheart upstairs. I’ll join in for drinks at least. Might even regale one or two of the young pups with some stories.”

“My sweetheart?”

“The one that works alongside you, Kelly. She’s a sweetheart. Tried chattin’ with me early, all that psycho mumbo jumbo. Still, she’s friendly and good to look at so I went with it until I’d had enough.”

“Think she might end up doing that with all the recruits.”

“Long as she doesn’t try it again at drinks, I’ll be sweet.”

“Okay. Just wanted to check you were settled in alright. As you are, I’ll see you at dinner.”

Having actually not been down to the lower levels, I popped into engineering to discover a pair of engineers, introducing themselves as Gabriella, or Gabby for short, and Kenneth, or Ken for short. I immediately apologised for not being down earlier, which they waved away, noting I’d been rather busy since coming on board. Both were ex-Alliance. Like Joker and Chakwas, they simply signed up to help, though from what Gabby said, Ken may have burned some bridges upon leaving. But they seemed happy to help and enthusiastic about the mission at least. They would also be coming upstairs that night to join in.

Checking my watch, there was at least a little time to kill so I headed up to my cabin to do some more work. Mostly reading messages and planning future missions, as I had a number of requests come through, no doubt forwarded by the Illusive Man to show he was a ‘man of the people’ and suggest he gave a shit about anyone other than himself. Nonetheless, I marked them down as either priority or not, as recruitment and anything to do with the Collectors would immediately be urgent.

Carried away with work, I didn’t notice the time until there was a ding. I looked around, wondering what it was. “The hell was that?” I wondered.

EDI appeared nearby. “_Your cabin has a doorbell, Shepard. It will only open automatically for yourself. All other staff must press the button next to the doorframe.”_

“There’s a doorbell?”

_“Yes, Shepard. Kelly Chambers is waiting for you.”_

“Thanks.” Pressing the button to open the door, it revealed Kelly holding a pair of mugs, definitely holding coffee.

“You’ve been gone a few hours so I thought…”

“Life saver, Kelly! Thanks!” I said as she passed the mug to me. “Come on in, have a look around.”

I let her walk past, her eyes definitely taking in the features, particularly the fishtank, which now had a few swimming in it, and she had to mention the fact the cabin was enormous, which I knew it was. Two to three times the size of my old quarters. I followed her down as she eventually took a seat on one of the lounges, and I chose to sit down next to her.

Placing her mug down, I did the same and she wasted no time at all leaning forward to kiss me. _She’s forward in more ways than one!_ And damn, she was a good kisser, pressing her body into mine as my hands definitely wanted to do other things than just hold her. Her hands were on my back, definitely appreciating some of the definition that would have showed through my tight shirt.

Breaking apart, I said, “Well, I think you’ve made your intentions clear.”

“I said I’ve been single for too long, Shepard.”

“We do have to go down…”

“I only came up for a coffee and a kiss. I enjoyed our first one and wanted another one.”

I simply smiled as I picked up my cup and looked at her. And that’s when it hit me. The similarities. She didn’t look the same. Nothing like it. But it was the similarities. It must have shown on my face as she leaned forward. “It’s okay,” she said quietly.

“I’ve just realised. I guess it’s been buried in my head somewhere.”

“I’m a natural redhead, Shepard, so it’s not an act. Eyes are green too.” She took a sip and she was thoughtful. “I’m not… too much of a reminder, am I?”

“No. It just hit me. I haven’t thought of her much since waking up, to be honest. It’s almost like that was another life. I pretty much died. In many ways, I’m John Shepard, version two. I just have all the old memories and I act like I always have.”

“Did you catch up with any old friends on the Citadel except those you were planning on seeing?”

“I spent the night with Emily. No, we didn’t have sex.”

“I wasn’t going to ask, Shepard. What you do in your private time…”

“But you still want to be with me?”

“Of course. It’s just sex, Shepard. I like you. You like me. There’s an obvious attraction. No need to overthink it.”

“I don’t get criticised of that often. So you’re not going to be jealous if…”

“Shepard, as I said, I’ve read your file. I know all I need to know about you. Some would say you are hesitant of commitment. Others would be rather rude and call you a manwhore or something like that. Others would call you a stud. I simply say you enjoy your life, and express that enjoyment by experiencing numerous sexual partners. I’m aware you have different desires. You’ve been with human, asari and quarian. Regarding humans, you seem to like different races. So I’m not going to sit here and judge you when I know all about that. Others, maybe, if not probably, but me? No. Sex is something to be enjoyed. Many like it with one person. Others like to experience with many people.”

“I generally do it with people I like. Well… um…”

“The way you defended your ‘friend’ when Miranda called her a whore would suggest you liked her too, Shepard. So even with those partners, I think that although a transaction, you have to have some sort of attraction, even if it’s only physical.”

“No judgement on that either?”

She scoffed. “Please, you were an Alliance soldier, Shepard. They’re known for descending on towns and sleeping around while on leave. What you do is no different to the thousands of other men _and_ women in uniform.”

We’d finished our coffees by now. Checking my watch again, it was time to head downstairs for dinner. Taking her by the hand, we were passing the fish tank when I turned and pulled her towards me, leaning down to kiss her again. This time, I put everything I could into it, eventually pushing her back so she was against the glass of the tank, and when I heard her whimper, I knew I could have suggested staying in the cabin and she would have agreed. By the time we broke apart, we were both breathing heavily, and her cheeks were bright red, her lips parted in such a way that suggested nothing but lust and desire, her green eyes shining in the light.

“We’d better go downstairs,” she whispered, stepping towards me again.

I leaned down and kissed her, my hands running down her back towards her arse. She leapt up and wrapped her legs around me and I carried her to my desk, sweeping things onto the floor so I could sit her down. I moved my lips from hers, down her cheek to her neck, making her gasp when I gently used my teeth. “We should stop,” she breathed.

“Sure?” I asked.

“I’m going to hate myself for this, but yes.”

So I stopped immediately, removing my mouth from her neck as I leaned back to meet her eyes. She definitely didn’t want to stop, not with the look that she was returning, so I simply caressed her cheeks, watching her eyes closed as I kissed softly on the lips again. “Okay, we’ll go downstairs in a minute.”

“I’m going to need that minute to calm down, Shepard.”

“Me too. Trust me.”

“Can I admit something?”

“Sure.”

“Ever since I read everything about you, I’ve been nursing… well, a little crush on you, to be honest. I mean, most of your life story reads like fiction. The boy from the streets who became a war hero, then the galaxy’s saviour. A lot of people would swagger around with nothing but arrogance.”

I shrugged. “Just do what I need to do, as I always say.”

“I’m glad the man I met is the one I read about.”

Grabbing her hand, she leapt down from her desk, straightened out her clothes, and we walked into the mess together. No-one said anything though Garrus definitely gave me a questioning look. I returned a subtle shake of the head, though he still laughed, as he would have guessed we’d been up to something. I couldn’t get much past the turian about my personal life, it seemed.

Dinner was simple but enjoyable, Gardner admitting the ingredients he had were far better than what he had originally, though we shouldn’t go expecting anything too fancy. However, he had picked up some fresh goods on the Citadel, and a few other pieces which might him allow to mix it up a bit, particularly when it came to breakfast. When he mentioned a full English, I told him he was a man after my own heart. “Keep it for a Sunday morning,” I added, “A treat for everyone after a hard week.”

After dinner, we headed into the lounge, where I spent a lot of the time chatting to those I simply hadn’t had a chance to speak to yet, learning simple things like their name, age, where they were from, the small things that actually mean something. Many seemed surprised I even seemed to care, but I told them all that, on the old _Normandy_, I had learned the name of every single person on the crew, could name their partners, their children if they had any, their hometown, what they studied. Sure, things you could read on a jacket, but you learned about them as a person when they explained things, particularly their passion for the role.

It was a good night. Everyone behaved by only enjoying one or two drinks. There was plenty of laughter and, for a couple of hours, it was easy to forget I was on a Cerberus vessel, and the people around me all chose to work for the organisation. But many were new recruits, joining because of the Collectors, not because they are human supremacists or anti-alien. Perhaps many were like that, joining for a particular cause and not because they were arseholes at heart.

Things slowly wounded down as people had to rise early for the morning shift. Eventually, only Garrus, Kelly, Kasumi and I were left in the lounge. “No sign of Miranda then,” Garrus stated.

“Told me she wasn’t going to come. Far too busy, apparently,” I replied, before looking at Kelly, “Don’t suppose you can give us any insight?”

“I’d rather not, to be honest.”

“Guess not everyone can be sociable, Shep.”

“If the CO of the vessel can spend time with the crew, the XO should be making an attempt as well. She barely came out for ten minutes during dinner.” I sighed. “I might have a word with her in the morning.”

“Careful, Shepard, lest you find your balls in her purse afterwards,” Garrus joked.

That was for later. After finishing our last drink, Garrus headed off to bed while Kasumi suggested she was going to get some shut eye as well. Kelly and I walked towards the elevator together. Stopping in front of it, she could have kept walking to the crew quarters. “Want a night cap?” I asked.

“Yes,” she replied immediately.

It was all a ruse, of course, and she knew. As soon as we were in my cabin and I’d locked the door, we were all over each other. Clothing and shoes were removed as quick as possible as we kissed, and by the time I had most of her clothes off, I definitely liked what I saw. And she definitely liked me, her hands all over my body before she got my jeans off, her hands immediately going down the front of my underwear. _Damn, she’s not wasting any time._

She certainly wasn’t, as even I had to admit surprise when she immediately dropped to her knees. Usually when I was blown, I was either lying down, or she’d at least sit on the bed. Nope, Kelly Chambers definitely enjoyed being on her knees as she practically made love to my cock with her mouth. Whoever had shown her how to blow a man, or if it was just a god given talent, I’d have to thank them. And her eyes when looking up at mine sparkled with a mixture of mischief and lust.

Running a hand through her hair, I could only gasp and groan. Trying to form words was almost impossible, doing things with her tongue along my shaft that sent shivers from my toes all the way up my spine. I’d managed to calm down after our make-out session earlier, but the talent she was showing, the almost need to make me orgasm, meant I wasn’t going to last long.

“Kelly,” I finally managed to whisper. I looked down and added, “Not long.”

She didn’t stop for a moment. In fact, when I felt her nose bump into my groin, she made a noise that suggested excitement, watching as my cock reappeared for a moment. “Well, glad I can do that now,” she said, “Oh, and just cum when you need to.”

“Kelly, I am glad to have you on the Normandy!”

She swallowed my length again, and she only had to wait a couple of minutes before I was ready to pop. I was polite enough to give her warning but the first shot only hit the back of her throat. I groaned so loud, I’m sure they heard me throughout the ship, much to my amusement, before looking down to see Kelly’s head still bobbing up and down, amazed that my cock was barely softening at all, but she did eventually stop as it was obvious I needed time to recover.

I lifted her up from her knees and practically threw her onto the bed, hearing her squeal with laughter as I joined her, immediately removing her panties, which stuck to her due to how wet she was, before I parted her legs and simply dove in. She was as turned on as I was. Within a few minutes, she was making the sort of noises that suggested her own orgasm was fast approaching. I didn’t want her to cum too quickly, so backed off, which made her look down, slightly frustrated.

“Good things come to those who wait, Kelly. I want to enjoy this a little longer.”

“I can cum more than once, Shepard.”

“I know, but if you wait, it’ll still be better.”

She groaned with frustration but the smile suggested she liked the idea. Dipping my tongue again, I also introduced a finger to find her spot, and she was soon bucking against my hand, my tongue flicking her clit, and I knew she was enjoying herself immensely, glancing up to see her head rolled back, grabbing handfuls of bedsheet, moaning unintelligibly at times, or my name, which is always rather erotic to hear.

When she finally did orgasm, it was quite the experience. She squeezed my fingers almost like a vice as her back arched at quite the angle. I didn’t relent with my mouth though I could barely move my fingers due to how tight she squeezed. It must have ripped through her entire body as she relaxed back on the bed, seemingly in a daze, eventually lifting her head. “Shepard…”

“Stop?” She nodded, so I pulled my fingers out and simply left gentle kisses up her body before I relaxed net to her.

“Oh my god,” she breathed.

Sometimes I’d be arrogant after doing it, but I just watched her as she breathed in and out, running a hand gently up and down her body. It was exquisite. Rather pale, but it was obvious she looked after herself, a pair of very perky breasts, great legs, and she was definitely a natural redhead with the bright red tuft above her sex. When she finally looked my way, her hand went behind my head as she dragged me down for a kiss. “You’ve worn me out, Shepard.”

“That’s fine. I think we’ve both had a good time tonight.”

“Oh, we’re not done yet. I just need a few more minutes.”

“Take all the time you want. Need a drink or anything?”

“No, I’m fine for now.”

We laid there together for a little while, though once she was ready, I was rolled onto my back as she straddled my groin, leaning down to kiss me, rubbing her pussy against my shaft at the same time. “I have thought about this,” she whispered before kissing me again, lifting herself up and blindly reaching down to grab my cock. She had to break the kiss and gasp as I felt it slowly slide inside her. “Oh god,” she cried quietly.

“Good?”

“Fuck… yes,” she breathed as I looked down to see my length disappear inside her.

The easiest way to describe what happened next is that Kelly Chambers fucked herself silly on my cock. I barely had to move, Kelly doing all the work. It was mostly cowgirl, on her knees, but she’d lean forward, then she’d lean back, she’d sometimes grind, and sometimes bounce. Then she moved so her feet were flat on the bed and she really started to ride me, holding my hands for balance. That’s when she really started to cry out and came rather hard, needing to get back on her knees once she was done, but she wasn’t done with me yet, as she slid off and spun around, wiggling her arse in my direction.

So that’s how Kelly Chambers found herself with her arse up, head down on a pillow, being fucked hard by former Commander Shepard. I was never going to last long in this position, one hand at her hip, the other with a handful of hair, the only noises being of my skin slapping into hers, my grunts and her moans.

“Fuck yes,” I muttered.

She had no problem telling me what she liked and how much she liked it. How big my cock was inside her. How good it felt. To fuck her pussy. To ruin her pussy. She made suggestions like leaving a load on her face next time, fucking her arse, tying her up. Woman after my own heart, to be honest.

When I did finally cum, I buried myself deep enough when I did make her yelp, and I nearly squashed her as she fell down onto her stomach and I followed her, using a forearm to hold myself up though I was barely with it otherwise. Only when I felt her lean back and kiss my cheek did I lift my head to look at her. Her face was wet from sweat, red cheeks, hair plastered to her forehead.

“Haven’t been fucked like that in a long time, Shepard.”

“Now you’ve ruined me, Kelly.”

“Shower?”

I chuckled. “Now I know why you stayed. My shower.”

We headed into the bathroom, where there was no more sex but plenty more kissing and cuddling as we washed each other down. With her hair slicked back and the steam rising, she was absolutely gorgeous. And I think she definitely liked me in return, barely able to keep her hands away. After we dried off, she was only ever going to be staying the night, and once we were under the covers, I was on my back as she cuddled into my side, my left wrapped around her, feeling her fingers run up and down my chest.

“Well, I think it was about time we did that,” she said.

I chuckled again. “Well, we managed to resist at least a couple of days.”

“Oh, and when did you want to?”

“Pretty much right after the first time we met, Kelly. Instant attraction, but I wanted to know you at least a little better before bedding you.”

“And now?”

“Well, I hope you’ll be a regular visitor.”

“But not the only one?”

“Being honest, no, probably not.”

“I can deal with that.” I must have looked at her surprised. “Read your file, Shepard, know what you like, and know what to expect. Can I ask only one favour?” I nodded. “Don’t flaunt it in front of me.”

“I don’t. What happens in private stays there. That includes between us.”

“Thanks.” Switching off the lights, I felt her get comfortable, definitely enjoying the feeling of her body against mine. So soft and surprisingly warm, though I figured it was the shower. She must have been rather relaxed, as she was asleep within a couple of minutes. I lay awake a little longer, staying out the window that was above the bed, twinkling stars in the distance, wondering what life was going to bring me next.


	24. Book 2, Chapter 5 - Prison Break

Waking up next to Kelly the next morning was a nice feeling. She was certainly in a good mood, waking up with a smile and a rather nice kiss. Watching her get up and stretch, showing off her body was certainly an even better way to start the day, as she turned around and asked if I wanted to join her for a shower before heading downstairs. _Best idea I’ve heard since I woke up – both times!_

Twenty minutes later, we were dressed and standing in the elevator. Sharing a brief last kiss, we walked out into the mess together. There were a few stares but no-one said anything as Gardner had cooked some bacon and eggs, and with a mug of coffee, it was a good way to start the day. Add some toast and some fruit, and I’d have plenty of energy to burn.

Taking a seat with everyone else, Garrus looked at me so I returned an innocent glance. “Something on your mind?”

He looked at Kelly then back at me. “So…”

“Spit it out, Garrus.”

I was expecting a question. Instead, he simply leaned back and laughed to himself. Better reaction than I expected. I thought I was going to get a million questions or innuendos. Perhaps he knew better nowadays, or he was waiting until we were in private before I received a grilling. I did notice Miranda had joined us, though ‘joining us’ meant in the mess, at a table by herself, and she left before any of us were even halfway through our meal.

“I’ll be dealing with her this morning,” I muttered so only a select few could hear.

“About what?” Garrus asked.

“Everyone is terrified of her. That isn’t how you run a ship. The crew need to find her approachable. She wants to have the title of Cerberus Officer, or Executive Officer, then she can bloody well act like one. Walking around like your shit don’t stink only causes resentment. I’ll deal with it once the rest are at their stations. I don’t want a shouting match anyway.” I glanced down the table, pleased to see Joker could hobble his way to the mess nowadays. “How much longer to the prison?”

“Just after lunchtime, Commander. We’ll be at the final relay in an hour, then it’s a hop, skip and jump to the system we need.”

Finishing breakfast, those around me were smart to leave quickly, while the regular crew had to be at their stations by a set time anyway. Once the mess was empty except for Gardner, who would now clean the mess, start preparing lunch, and do other odd jobs around the ship, I headed to Miranda’s office. It opened as I approached and she was busy at her terminal, though when she looked up and noticed it was me, she was definitely taken aback. Her fingers stopped moving. “Commander?”

“We need to talk, Miss Lawson.”

She was immediately on the defensive. Her posture told me everything, but she remained calm. “What about?”

“Well, considering I have experience as an Executive Officer, I’m actually here to give you some advice.”

I was expecting some sort of sarcastic retort straight away. Instead, she gestured to the empty chair across from her, and pressed a button, hearing the door into her office lock. Settling her forearms on the desk, she leaned forward slightly. “Advice, Shepard? Why do you think I need advice?”

“Honestly?”

“I’d rather you be honest than anything else.”

“Your attitude around and towards the crew stinks. You walk around with a stick up your arse all the time. You treat them with barely concealed contempt, and quite frankly, your arrogance seems to know no bounds. You were offered a chance to come join us last night, to come meet the crew, sit down and actually get to know them as people, and you throw the invitation back in all our faces.”

“You’ve made your feelings clear about Cerberus personnel, and myself, Commander.”

“I was there last night, Miss Lawson, getting to know the people I will be working with, getting to know who they are as human beings, actually looking past that symbol you proudly wear.”

“I had work to do, Commander.”

“Bullshit. I have plenty of work to do myself but I was still there last night enjoying myself.”

“What you choose to do with your time…”

“Is none of your business,” I interrupted, “You’re damn well right it is. But as this ship’s Executive Officer, one of your primary functions is being the go-between myself and the crew, and you are ineffective if you, putting it bluntly, terrify them. Do I need to tell you what your role is?”

“I’d be thrilled to hear what you believe it is, Commander.”

“Sarcasm will get you nowhere with me, Miss Lawson. Chapter 9, Section 901 of the Alliance Naval Guidebook regarding officers of the Alliance Navy, position – Executive Officer. The Executive Officer is the Second in Command. Her or she is responsible to the Commanding Officer for the general organisation of the ship and for the discipline, morale and welfare of the whole Ship’s Company… Which one of those words do you think was important, Miss Lawson?”

“Discipline.”

I smirked. “While true, this is not a military vessel, and even then, there are caveats. We are a civilian ship, and therefore are not bound by military regulations. And while discipline is important, officers and servicemen are generally disciplined internally as it is ingrained in them during training. What is important on missions such as this is morale. And while I may lead, they need to know that I have people around me who they can approach. You strutting around this ship like your shit doesn’t stink doesn’t help matters. You acting like you’re better than them will do nothing but piss them off.”

She shrugged. “I am better than them. I’ve been preparing for this role…”

I raised a hand, surprised she stopped talking. “Are you seriously _that_ arrogant? To believe it or not isn’t the point. To actually _say_ it is something else entirely. Do you have no idea how to actually deal with people?”

“My main priority is the mission, not the crew.”

I made a sound like a buzzer. “Wrong! So completely and utterly wrong, Miss Lawson. You claim to be the Executive Officer, correct?”

“Yes, because I am the XO as positioned by the Illusive Man.”

“Expect a message with a series of attachments. Read them over and you will soon learn what the priorities of your role are. The mission and the safety of this vessel are _my_ main priorities as the Commanding Officer of this vessel.” I rose to my feet so I could look down at her. “I’m not actually expecting you to listen to a word I’ve said, but you will learn to fulfil your obligations correctly. I will be asking a colleague of ours to start monitoring your attitude towards the crew. If your poor attitude continues, measures will be taken.”

Now she smirked, leaning back and looking confident. “If you think the Illusive Man…”

“You think I’ll talk to him about it? I will deal with the issue personally.” I pushed the chair I’d been sitting in back into position. “We’re done here, Miss Lawson. Mission briefing will be fifteen minutes before docking.” I turned and strode out of her office, confident I’d got my point across. Had I been professional? Apart from one or two jabs, I think I’d held my tongue rather well. I didn’t actually have anyone ready to watch her, though I was fairly sure word would filter through if her attitude improved or not.

I headed upstairs, noticing Kelly disappear and return within a couple of minutes with two mugs, one for me and one for herself. Otherwise, she was completely professional, as I would expect, heading back to her own terminal to carry on with her work, though she’d glance my way every so often and smiled. Figuring I still had a little time until we needed to depart, I headed into Mordin’s lab to see how the salarian was getting on.

He was busy at work doing something though looked up as I approached. “Ah, Shepard. Glad you are here.”

“Why?”

“I’m busy working on the samples you gave me. Lucky you found them. Different tech. Not organic. Not geth. Indicates outside interference.”

“The Reapers?”

“Possible Collectors are Reaper constructs. Perhaps used in emergency in case vanguard ship fails.”

“I’m sure there are plenty of other questions but all I’m worried about is a working sample to protect us from the swarms. Can you do it?”

“Of course. Lab provided excellent. All the materials I require. Oh, you are aware of monitoring devices?”

“I figured there would be some around. You found some?”

“Yes. Found six in this lab alone. Four more in personal quarters. Can give you machine to find more.”

“Can you make a few of them?”

“Yes. Easy to make. Based on signal. Short zap, the bug stops working. Can hand pile to Miss Lawson if desired.”

“Get Garrus and Kasumi to help you. Search the ship, top to bottom, finding every single monitoring device you can find. Let me know when you’re done, then I’ll have another word with Miss Lawson. I knew we’d be spied on, but if I can put a stop to it, you’d better be damned sure I will.”

“Likely AI also spying on us too.”

“Yeah, but not a lot I can do about it. And EDI might prove its worth. Just focus on the monitoring devices for now. Is it video and sound?”

“Yes. Hard to miss the bigger cameras. Smaller cameras considered invasion of privacy.”

“Thanks for letting me know, Mordin.”

“No problem, Shepard. Working for Cerberus unexpected. Knew they’d spy though. Need me for anything else, I’ll be here.”

I crossed the ship, past the conference room, to visit Jacob. I wasn’t there to shoot the shit with him though. I asked if he could help with some training. He seemed to appreciate the fact I’d come to ask him, so he stopped what he was working on and we headed down to the hangar bay. I checked my watch, and we had a couple of hours, so he put me through my paces, first showing me the basics of just being a biotic, how it all worked, and then he told me the gestures and movements I could make. What he told me was that, in the end, it would just come naturally. I’d think it and it would happen. To begin with, it was simply going to be awkward because I wasn’t used to it. And, apparently, with my implant, I’d be able to learn even more powerful skills with further practice.

The one thing I learned is that biotic takes up a hell of a lot of energy, and made me sweat even harder. But I was soon doing charges easily, throwing warps, pulling and throwing objects, and even shooting what he called a shockwave. Apparently there were other skills, but they would take more practice to learn and required even more effort. He suggested I focus on easier skills for now, until they were almost second nature, then add more skills to my repertoire.

Cooling off with a bottle, we were just shooting the shit, nothing too personal, when Joker reported over the comm that we were approaching our destination. Heading upstairs in the elevator, I admitted, “Jacob, this is a flawed design right here. Armoury should be in the hangar bay. More often than not, we’ll be leaving by shuttle, not the docking bay door.” He shrugged helplessly, so there was my answer. “Still, I think we’re docking directly with the prison _this_ time, so at least it’s not too much of a problem.”

I was taking Miranda, Jacob, Garrus and Zaeed with me. We’d been informed that the Blue Suns operated the prison, known as Purgatory, but I’d already had a quiet word and Zaeed assured me he would behave himself for now. I took the man at his word. Miranda turned up as I was preparing my weapons. She didn’t say anything, simply clipping a shield pack to her hip while grabbing a pistol and sub-machine gun. The air wasn’t tense but I think word has spread about my visit that morning.

Heading to the airlock, Joker was bringing the _Normandy_ into position, listening into the communications between us and the prison. “Everyone ready?” I asked.

“Aye, Commander,” was the reply.

“Now, while we are expecting a smooth handover of the prisoner, stay ready for anything. Garrus, watch out six as always. Miss Lawson, you have the details, you’ll lead with me. Jacob, Zaeed, watch our flanks.”

“Don’t trust them, Shepard?” Zaeed asked.

“No. These guys are mercenaries, nothing more. I’ve done a little research on this prison. I’m sure it breaks just about every galactic law in Council Space, but as it’s out here, nowhere cares”

The ship docked, the air cycled and pressured, and we walked out onto the docking harm. No-one was there to meet us, so we headed in the only direction we could until we were met by four turians in Blue Suns armour. One of them raised a hand, indicating we should halt.

"Welcome to Purgatory, Commander," stated the guard. I simply nodded, so the guard continued. "Your package is being prepared. It should be available to collect shortly." He then looked over all of us, particularly at the fact we were all heavily armed. "While on board the Purgatory, I must ask that you and your team relinquish your weapons. It's standard procedure."

“Not happening, Chief. I’m here to pick up a dangerous prisoner, and I’m about to be surrounded by heaven only knows how many Blue Suns mercenaries. Do I really look that stupid to you?”

“It’s standard procedure, Commander. Without it…”

“Fuck your procedure. I’m not handing over my weapons.”

The guards looked between themselves. I just folded my arms, waiting to see what they’d do next. I was a patient man and in no hurry. I could stand there all day if required. However, the impasse was broken quickly as a fifth turian walked through the door behind them. "Commander, I'm Warden Kuril. This is my ship and these are my rules. As the guard has already stated, this is simply standard procedure. Your weapons will be returned once you have collected your package."

“No. Do I have to continuously repeat myself? I. Will. Not. Give. You. My. Fucking. Weapons. Capiche?”

“My translator didn’t pick up that last word. What?”

“Capiche. It means do you understand. As in, I will not give you my fucking weapons. Do you understand?”

He glanced over the five of us again. Armed. Armoured. And generally not going to put up with anyone’s bullshit. He eventually relented. "Let them proceed. Our facility is more than adequately equipped to deal with five armed guests. Just keep your weapons holstered, Commander. Don't want to go frightening the prisoners. Or the rest of the guards…"

“Yeah, fair enough.”

We all relaxed as Kuril gestured for us to follow him into the prison. As we walked along, flanked by three more guards, the warden told us more about the prison, pretty much I think we all expected to hear. The worst the galaxy had to offer was dumped in Purgatory, the governments wiping their hands of them. Of course, the Blue Suns extracted money from the governments by threatening to release said prisoners if they were not paid for keeping them. Serial killers, mass murders, terrorists, the sort of people I might even have to deal with were housed in the prison. Scumbags was my main thought. I grew up on the streets but even we lived by some sort of code. Most of the people in Purgatory broke even the few codes I had.

As for Jack, apparently he was the most dangerous and powerful biotic in the galaxy. A complete psychopath. Ready to kill at the drop of a hate. A powder keg ready to explode, and god help you if you were in his path. To be honest, sounded perfect for the mission, long as they followed orders.

Jacob was the first one to mutter something about the cruelty on display. I certainly heard a lot of yelling, screaming, complaining. One or two prisoners copped a beating but I found it hard to sympathise. I had little doubt they were the scum of the galaxy but even Garrus started to mutter. “This all really necessary?” I finally asked.

“We live on a knife-edge every day, Commander. This is the literal scum of the galaxy. If you’ve read of some atrocity anywhere, families wiped out, murder sprees and massacres, bombs and explosions, there’s a pretty good chance they’ve been dumped on us. After reading what some of these people have done, you would find sympathy is in very short supply.”

Garrus wasn’t particularly happy but I wasn’t inclined to involve myself. “Have they all been convicted in a court of law?” he asked.

“Of course. They are escorted from Council Space to the edge of the Terminus Systems, where we review their crimes, the judgement handed down, and only then will we take charge of the prisoner, with the adequate payment, of course.” He stopped and turned. “Look, the prisoners who behave, who follow orders, who simply see out their time? I won’t say they’re happy, who would be on a floating prison. But they accept their lot. If they behave, they receive privileges. Maybe send a letter home to mum and dad, or receive a call from a loved one, maybe even their kids. Don’t behave? Then they’ll either end up in the fridge or they’ll be beaten until they do co-operate. Life is harsh here, people.”

Moving on, some prisoners wanted to be noticed, banging on their doors as we passed by. There were threats that bordered on ludicrous. Miranda certainly received plenty of comments, plenty of then so vulgar, even I felt sorry for her. The guards would bang the doors with their sticks, forcing the prisoners back, but it was certainly loud. Probably louder than usual.

Kuril stated that Jack needed to be processed so to just proceeded through the next door. There was a lone mercenary at a terminal who gestured to a door on the far side. Kuril and the other guards disappeared, leaving us alone. Zaeed muttered it was all wrong. Garrus was agreeing. I felt something slightly off, so thought _Fuck it_ and took the shotgun from my back.

They were proven right seconds later. The door opened to reveal an empty cell. I could only stand there and laugh. One, because I should have known better. And two, because I was about to cause a prison riot.

"Are you seriously going to try this on, Kuril? I figured you would be smarter than this?" I yelled out.

_"You are out-numbered and out-gunned, on one of the most secure facilities in the galaxy, Shepard. So just save yourself the trouble. Drop your weapons and walk into the open cell. I promise that you and your colleagues won't be harmed."_

I flipped the bird and showed it to any cameras I could see. “Very mature,” Miranda muttered. I ignored her as we spread out into the limited cover. Blue Suns mercenaries soon arrived and that’s when I put my training to immediate use, charging straight into three of them, knocking two of them down, blasting the head off the third. I quickly blasted the other two, gaping wounds in their chest, as I turned and charged at another Blue Suns approaching. Blam! Another hole in the chest of a turian as he went flying backwards.

“Leave some for us, Shepard!” I heard Garrus call, just as I had to leap into cover as I came under fire. I glanced at the rest and gestured, the five of us moving out together.

"_All personnel, apprehend the fugitives at once._"

“Well, hopefully they come to us and make this easier,” Zaeed grunted, “Bunch of fuckin’ pussies. Call yourself Blue Suns, you worthless cunts!” he yelled out.

More Blue Suns flooded forward and it turned into nothing more than a shootout. I used one of my new abilities, sending a shockwave in the direction of a trio hiding behind an overturned desk, sending all three of them flying. “Oh fuck, he’s now got biotics!” Garrus yelled, “That’s all we need!”

“Commander, Jacob and I can work together. You can help out. You pull or lift them like Jacob, I can warp them. Or send a shockwave, and I can add my own.”

“Good thinking, Miss Lawson. But I do like my charging as well.”

We moved out after mowing the bastards down, Zaeed slapping some medi-gel on a wound, but otherwise we’d managed to get out relatively unscathed. We had no schematic of the prison so were currently blind, but found a room nearby that had what we needed. Miranda got to work at a nearby terminal, keying a few commands. “Okay, I’ve got the layout, Commander. And I’ve located Jack. Now, I can simply release him or I can open every door in the place.”

“Every door, Miss Lawson. They want a riot, they can have one. We’re leaving with Jack, so we grab him, and get the fuck out of here quickly. We’ll leave the prisoners and Blue Suns to fight each other.”

We stepped forward together, looking below as it appeared the Blue Suns had kept Jack in the fridge, so to speak. After what we were told, I didn’t really blame them, in all honesty. As he was retrieved, it soon became obvious that Jack wasn’t what we expected at all. “Jack’s a bird!” Zaeed exclaimed.

Then we watch the biotic power we’d been told about on display. She tore through at least three giant mechs like they were paper, and she quickly disappeared in a biotic surge. We all shared a glance and ran after her, listening as explosions started to echo around the prison.

“Kill any Blue Suns. As for the prisoners, if they attack us, kill them. If they’re not bothering us, leave them.”

Within minutes, the prison was tearing itself apart. I spent half my time biotic charging around the yard, blasting away Blue Suns and the occasional prisoner. Most of the latter were just looking to escape. Fat chance of that happening, but they were helping us distract the guards, which we killed far more easily than we would have otherwise. In the corridors, I linked up with Jacob and Miranda, learning how to combine biotic attacks. I always found training useful, but it was doing it out on the field, under pressure, even with your life on the line, when you definitely proved and even excelled at a new skill. We soon had biotic combo’s ripping apart the Blue Suns defences.

"_All prisoners. Return to your cells immediately or I'll open ever airlock on this ship!"_

“He’s bluffing,” Zaeed stated, “He’d immediately lose his leverage.”

As we moved on through what seemed like the dead centre of the prison, another message suggested we should probably work faster.

"_Warning! Power plant damage has led to overload. Core systems failure imminent."_

“Shepard, are we ever going to complete a mission where you don’t blow something up?” Garrus wondered ever so sarcastically.

“Don’t say I never do anything nice for you.”

He barked a laugh before firing his rifle, blasting the head off a mercenary in the distance. As for Jack, we barely saw any sign of her, simply following the trail of destruction and dead bodies, whether they were Blue Suns or other prisoners. There was the occasional explosion as she did something or other. It usually ended up in flames or blow apart.

_"Find Jack! Full alert! Find Jack!"_

“Did the money transfer go through?” I wondered.

“The Illusive Man wouldn’t have authorised the transfer until we had Jack back on the ship,” Miranda replied. I didn’t really care if he lost money or not, it was simple curiosity.

The Blue Suns were pulling back, eventually making a final stand. I had a feeling more than half the prisoners were probably dead by now, killed by us, them, or Jack. The five of us converged where he was. He had maybe a dozen mercenaries left, though a few of them were carrying wounds. “Stand down, Kuril, and I’ll make your death quick.”

I was boasting as the bastard had the high ground. Making a series of gestures, we split up into small teams and opened fire, Garrus disappearing as I knew he’d only have eyes for his fellow turian. The Blue Suns worked smart together, so I chose to cause some confusion, charging quickly between them, blasting away before retreating the same way I’d arrived. It caused my shields to fail more than once as they learned after I’d shot three of them. As for Kuril, he was firing at my colleagues though didn’t seem able to get a shot off at me at least.

Then there was the crack of a sniper, nearly everyone looking up at Kuril. His shields failed, and before he could even think about diving into cover, the next shot slammed through his head, causing half of his face to practically cave in, before he collapsed to the ground. With their commander gone, the Blue Suns wilted and we slaughtered the bastards. We didn’t take delight in it, we were simply doing our job.

Ignoring the riot that was still in progress, Miranda was able to direct us towards a nearby passage that allowed us onto the original corridor where our ship was. That’s where we met Jack, clearly deranged. She wasn’t armed with a gun, she was holding a bloodied knife that she’d clearly used with relish, as besides the body art all over her body, she was also covered in blood. Her head was shaved, she had dark eyes, and her small breasts were strapped down so tight, she had the body of a boy, not a woman. She didn’t even notice our arrival, pacing almost nervously, swearing to herself. Then she stopped and turned towards us, coming to an immediate halt. Her eyes rested on me for all of a second before they moved to the side, and her face turned into one of such rage, I worried she was going to try and charge at us. “Cerberus,” she growled.

“Do you always get that reaction, Jacob?” Garrus asked, obviously rhetorically. I guess he knew better than to joke with Miranda.

When she summoned her biotics, that’s when I raised my weapon. “Calm the fuck down, Jack. We’re not here to harm you unless you need it.”

“You’re Cerberus. Go fuck yourself.”

I pointed at my chest. “Nope, wrong answer. No symbol on my chest here. Just black with a nice red and white stripe down my arm. Not Cerberus. I’m currently of no affiliation.”

She pointed the knife to my side. “She’s Cerberus,” and it moved to my other side, “And so is he.”

“Correct. But the turian isn’t. Nor is the old guy in the yellow armour.”

“Old guy?”

“Just go with it, Zaeed. So, anyway, this prison is about to blow up, Jack. So you have two options. One, you can come with us. You’re not our prisoner, but I will need to talk to you on the ship.”

“Which flies Cerberus colours.”

“Yeah, just ignore that for now.”

“Second option?”

“We leave you here and go on our merry way.”

“Third option, I kill all of you and take your ship.”

“Oh, I like her, Shepard. She’s got spunk,” Zaeed stated with humour.

“Wait, Shepard? Why do I know that name?” I gave her a few moments then it seemed to click. “Aren’t you supposed to be dead?”

“Long story. Yes and no. I’m back. Issues to deal with. Things to kill. You’re invited along. Want to join?”

“You’re serious?” There were a series of explosions that suggested we didn’t have long. “Fuck it, you’re the only way off this tin can. But I want information if I’m coming along. About Cerberus. I want to see files. That’s my bargain.”

I shrugged. I didn’t really care what files she wanted. Miranda was bound to bitch at me, but I didn’t care what she said either. “Sure, no problem.” I gestured with my weapon. “Now, if we’re done here, I think leaving with haste would be the best idea.” She slid the knife into the band of her pants and approached, though stopped and gestured for the rest to move first. “You’re going first,” I said, gesturing again, “I’m not even close to even considering trust yet.”

“Pussy.”

“Just move, Jack.”

We ran down the docking bay, keying a series of commands onto a terminal before I stepped into the airlock. Once the compression cycle finished, Joker pretty much shoved the ship into reverse, turned it around and stepped on the gas. We were rocked by the explosion that blew the prison to smithereens. If there was a news report to follow, it would have said _There were no other survivors._

It was obvious Jack was not comfortably being a ship, surrounded by Cerberus personnel, with giant Cerberus logos on the ship. Knowing only a limited part of her history, and taking a good look at her, I suggested we go to the med-bay first, dismissing the rest of the team, asking them to wait while Jack and I descended alone. “Why, so your doctor can experiment on me?”

“No. Any idea how long you were on ice? Considering you were in a prison, some sort of rudimentary exam might be a good idea. See a few scars too, and you’re covered in blood. Some of it might be yours. Once we’re done there, we’ll find you a place to bunk then we’ll go over some ground rules as I explain why you’re here.

“Rules? Fuck off.”

“Rule number one. Don’t tell me to fuck off unless it’s in jest. And even then, there are limits.”

“Think you’re some sort of hard nut? Taken on harder than you.”

“Maybe you have, but don’t think that because you’re a woman I won’t leave you bloodied and battered on the ground. Fought enough mercenaries to take sex and gender completely out of the equation by now.”

The elevator doors opened and I gestured for Jack to move, walking her towards the med-bay. Chakwas took one look at Jack and thought she’d been shot. I told her that probably wasn’t the case but I’d like her looked at. “Will she be any trouble?”

“If she lifts a finger in your direction, Doc, I’ll be sure to know and deal with it personally. That’s a warning to behave, Jack. And try to be honest. It’s for your benefit, after all.”

“Fuck you very much.”

The rest of the team appeared as I was grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, leaning against the counter as looked through the window into the med-bay. Jack appeared to be co-operating at least, though I could see Chakwas was keeping a little distance between the pair of them. Didn’t blame her, in all honesty.

“I’m struggling to see the benefit of this,” Miranda stated, “She’s clearly unstable and I doubt how effective she will be as part of a squad.”

“Don’t underestimate my abilities to mould people into an effective team, Miss Lawson. I managed to get a turian, an asari, a quarian and a krogan to work together. We know little about her, only what Kuril told us, which appears somewhat truthful, but we don’t know her story.”

“Her biotic power was off the scale,” Jacob stated, “Never seen anything like it.”

“And certainly had a bone of contention with Cerberus. Wonder why?” Garrus wondered. If the bastard could smirk, it would have been enormous.

“Anyway, mission report. Good job, people. We retrieved the prisoner… or recruit. Possibly saved the Illusive Man some cash… not that I care. And we worked effectively as a unit. Still things to work on but, considering the betrayal, which I guess we expected, we came out better than when we arrived. So I’d chalk that one into the win column.”

“What’s next, Shepard?” Garrus asked.

“One more recruit then I’m not sure. I’ll have to check the dossier and figure out how far it is from here. Might be a couple of days. I’ll let you know as soon as I have the information.”

The other four eventually returned to their quarters, or disappeared to one of the lounges. Jack was in the med-bay for a while before she eventually wandered out, coming directly towards me. “Don’t suppose I can have a shower, get rid of all the blood?”

“Want some new clothes?”

“Um… Do you have any black trousers at least?”

“I’m sure we do. What about a shirt or jacket?”

“Do my tits offend you, Shepard?”

“No, I’m thinking that the temperature in here is on the cool side, don’t want you catching a cold unnecessarily.” My comment made her laugh so I just shrugged. “Suit yourself. Showers are around the corner. I’ll speak to someone about getting you some trousers. Underwear. Socks. And I’ll get you’re a shirt or two just in case.”

She was in the shower for quite a while after I’d managed to locate the spare clothing, also handing her some body wash. When she walked back out, she certainly looked cleaner, a lot less dirt and blood, and at least her trousers didn’t appear stained with blood either. “Hungry?” I wondered.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“There’s plenty of food in the fridge over there. Fill up a plate if you want, then I’ll show you where you can lay your head.”

“I’m not sleeping in the crew quarters.”

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Fine, I guess I can’t complain when others requested the same. Where?”

“I don’t know. Somewhere private. No through traffic.”

“Well, upstairs is out. This level is always busy. So you’ve got engineering or the hangar bay.”

“Let’s try engineering.”

“It’s loud.”

“I’d prefer loud.”

Shrugging, she headed to the fridge first, eventually piling up her plate with leftovers from the previous couple of meals, grabbed two bottles of water at the same time, then I escorted her to the elevator, taking her down one level. I pointed out where Zaeed was, the other storage room was locked up tight, full of crates, so she ended up heading into where Ken and Gabby worked, walking down steps underneath. “Ah, this will do. Get a cot down here and it’ll feel like home.”

I shrugged helplessly, but if that’s what she wanted, fine. “Okay, do I need to go over some ground rules?”

She sat down on the ground with the plate on her lap, munching away as she looked up. “Yeah, whatever, Shepard. Talk away.”

“You take drugs?”

“Recently? No. Have I done them before? Yes, of course. Usually red sand. Being a biotic, it’s a better high.”

“Do drugs while on this ship and I’ll throw you out the airlock. Only warning.”

“No plans on dabbling, Shepard. I have a feeling taking a red sand in this sort of atmosphere would kill the high.”

“Can I trust you around the others?”

“If you mean the cheerleader and the boy scout, those two idiots that were with you on the ship, sure, long as they stay out of my way. Don’t expect me to be friendly, Shepard. I don’t do friends. I get what’s going on here though. Guess you’re building some sort of squad?”

I raised my eyebrows at her perception. So she obviously had some brains. “I’ll put it simply. There’s a species called the Collectors. They’re invading human colonies, kidnapping the inhabitants. Already kidnapped thousands. The whole purpose of this is to build a squad, go through the Omega Four relay, and destroy them.”

“Sounds good to me, Shepard.” Then she looked up again. “Thought you were Alliance?”

“I was. I died. Woke up. Cerberus spent money on me. They’ve given me what I need to do the job.”

“You realise they’re lying cunts and will turn on you the minute your back is turned.”

“I plan on being long gone by the time that happens. For now, this is my reality. And the same goes for you. But you’ll be getting paid by them all the same.”

“I want files, Shepard. I guess you’re wondering about the hate? Why I am the way I am is because of them. So I want files on me. Someone on this ship will be able to give me access. Bet the cheerleader will know how. I’ll go ask…”

“I’ll ask. I don’t want you two near each other if not on mission.”

“Sensible decision, Shepard.”

“Meals are served three times a day. There is a lounge. If you want to drink, don’t get drunk. Try not to cause fights and arguments. I would ask you be civil, but…”

“I’ll spend most of my time down here. Anywhere I can train?”

“Hangar bay. I’m usually down there in the morning. There’s a gym and other things you can use.”

“Good. Least I can practice my biotics. Is that it, Shepard, or do you want something else?”

“That’s it for now, Jack. What did Doctor Chakwas say?”

“She said I was surprisingly healthy for someone who’d just been in the fridge and with the number of scars on my body. Before you try, don’t even bother asking. They’re not for you to know about.”

Shrugging, I said, “Sure, Jack. No problem. I’ll leave you alone for now. I’ll either see you at meal times or I’ll ensure the information you want is sent down.”

She nodded, stuffing her face again so I left her to it. I wasn’t expecting a thank you and I certainly didn’t get one. Walking past Ken and Gabby, I said if she was causing trouble to let me know, but I figured she’d probably spend most of her time down there alone. And I knew why she wanted it loud. She didn’t want to be alone with her thoughts. That bit was easy to figure out.

Heading upstairs to the mess again, I headed straight for Miranda’s office. This time, she didn’t seem surprised to see me. “I know what you’re here for, Commander. I never agreed…”

“You’re going to do it, Miss Lawson. I have no doubt you’re fucking organisation is behind whatever happened to her, so I know I probably can’t order you to do it, but maybe you can show you have a conscience, or perhaps a heart beating under that ice cold exterior, and you’ll meet the terms of her agreement and pass across the information she needed. The dossier told us her name was Subject Zero. I reckon the Illusive Man knows exactly who she is so your databases are going to have information about her.”

She set her jaw again, glaring at me. She had two choices. Agree, and I’d walk out happy. Disagree, and we would be having one hell of an almighty argument, where I’d probably get rather angered and do something I would regret afterwards. It was a silent battle of wills but she eventually relented. “Fine, Commander. I will obtain what information I can and deli…”

“Ah, no. Give the information to Kelly. I’ll deliver it myself.”

“You don’t trust…”

“I don’t trust either of you, but if you were to head down there, it would end with significant damage to the engineering department, and either one or both of you either injured or dead. So as I told Jack, stay away from her. Her dislike for anyone wearing that symbol is obvious. You seemed to have a pre-conceived opinion of her that seems to have been backed up by what we found.”

“You are right there, Commander. Very well, I’ll collate the information and give it to Kelly.”

“Thank you.”

I think the fact I said those two words surprised her as I turned around, about to leave, when she asked, “Why do you hate us so much?” The question brought me to a halt, turning around slowly as she was now leaning forward, looking rather pensive about the answer I would give. “I would have thought you’d be grateful that it was Cerberus who brought you back to life, that you’d be… thankful to me that I led the mission to bring you back. But all we’ve received since the moment we woke you up is hostility. I want to know why?”

“Miss Lawson, I’m not even sure where to begin. But it’s quite obvious the files you had on me completely whitewashed anything I discovered in relation to Cerberus during my mission in regards to Saren.”

“I read those files. The Illusive Man…”

I held up a hand. “I’m going to stop you right there, Miss Lawson. He’s spitting bullshit.”

“He insists they were rogue cells.”

“And I guess you just believed him without any evidence to back that up?”

“I am one of his most trusted operatives, Commander. The Illusive Man does not lie…”

“No, he manipulates.” I gestured as I added, “We are all pawns on a chessboard in regards to his ambitions of dominance.”

“He only wants what is best for humanity. Surely the reaction of the Council to your return should suggest to you that Cerberus are at least partially right in regards to their objectives?”

“If you mean ensuring humanity is equal to every other race in the galaxy, I’d applaud your efforts. But those of us who haven’t been brainwashed know this is nothing but a human-supremacist organisation, yet while they aim for that achievement, they also conduct horrific experiments on the very humans they are trying to apparently save from ‘the aliens’. And I think that young woman downstairs is one of his victims. As for the Council, I’d agree with you in the fact they show little interest apart from themselves, but then again, I’d say they simply share a very human trait. They look out for themselves first above all others.”

“I believe what we are doing what is right for the human race.”

“And one day, that belief may just blow up in your face, Miss Lawson.”

She paused a moment, considering what she was going to say next. “I do believe we just had a five-minute conversation with yelling at each other, Commander.” I just shrugged. Then she asked, “I know you’ve been getting to know everyone on the ship but… well, I have noticed you haven’t approached me.”

I shrugged again. “I didn’t think you’d be receptive.”

“Why?”

“Because of what I mentioned, the fact you do not make yourself approachable, and I’m not going to bother approaching someone who gives off the distinct aura of not wanting to discuss anything beyond the mission.”

“I already know everything about you so I just thought…”

“You think you do, but like I told Kelly, reading about my life on paper isn’t the same as getting to know my inner-most thoughts and feelings. The one thing I can thank you for is that you have brought me back as pretty much the same man. Physically, I’m different. Psychologically, I’m still the same. Memories haven’t really changed. Still think I have the personality. Can already tell I’m less tolerant of bullshit.”

“I see you like coffee, Commander. Tomorrow morning, after breakfast. Would you like to join me in here, for a chat? Over coffee? No talk of the mission. You can ask some questions, get to know me, if you’d like.” This was an olive branch. I could see why she was doing it. Smart woman. If we were constantly at loggerheads, the mission would probably work, but the tension would make it untenable for some people. Communication was key, and although she was card-carrying Cerberus, I had looked past that symbol with everyone else so far.

“I accept, Miss Lawson. Tomorrow morning, after breakfast.”

“I’ll have the information ready for you then. I can’t promise the world but I’ll do what I can. A peace offering, I guess.”

Walking out of her office, I felt a little better about things. I wasn’t sure if I could ever trust the woman, and having someone like that as your XO would make things difficult, but it was an olive branch and I wasn’t stupid nor callous enough to throw it back in her face. Checking the time, it was definitely past dinner time by now, but chanced a visit to the CIC, somewhat surprised to see Kelly at her terminal. She was happy to see me again though and I asked if she wanted to join me in my cabin for dinner.

“Only dinner, Shepard?”

“No.” Why lie or beat around the bush? We both knew why she was being invited up. “But we’ll definitely eat first as we’ll need the energy for later.”

“I just have a few things to finish up, so I’ll grab a plate from the mess and meet you upstairs?”

“That works for me. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

After grabbing a plate of food from downstairs, I headed upstairs and plonked myself down on the couch, dragging the coffee table closer so I didn’t have to eat off my lap. There was still of information I was processing so read through that. I had a few other interests outside of just shooting people every day. I’d always been sport and had found a real passion for rugby while I was training. Certainly helped toughen me up in addition to all the training, so I was busy looking past the results of the previous two years when Kelly did come strolling through the doors, taking a seat next to me and devouring her food quickly.

“Don’t choke, Kelly. We have all night.”

She gave me a look, and I was expecting something corny, but she simply grinned and focused on eating a little more. I was starving, realising I’d used up plenty of energy while within the prison. Probably something I could speak to Miranda about the next morning, as I’m sure she probably packed away the food before and after a heavy use of biotics.

Finishing my meal, I leaned back and waited for Kelly to finish. Once she did, she spun around so she could sit on my lap, immediately leaning forward to kiss me. Though I could taste the meal, I’m sure she tasted the same. “Well, not wasting anytime tonight.”

Her shirt disappeared quickly as my mouth quickly found areas of skin that look promising, removing her bra so I could focus on her breasts, her hands wrapping around my head as I nibbled on her nipples, earning gasps when I grabbed one with my teeth and gently pulled. “Not too hard, but that’s good,” she whispered.

She was soon grinding against my obvious erection as we both worked at getting her pants off so she was only sitting on me in her panties. I definitely enjoyed the feeling of her soft skin. My hands were still regaining their definition, as I only ever wore gloves on mission. I eventually stood up, Kelly grabbing on as I carried her over to the bed. She sat on her knees on the edge as she helped me off with my shirt, her hands trailing up and down my chest before she focused on getting my trousers off as I kicked off my boots and socks. Once she had me naked, her hands and mouth were immediately at my groin, her tongue against my shaft as she looked up. “Keep doing that,” I whispered.

She teased me for a long time before finally taking my cock in her mouth, groaning as I heard her slightly choke more than once before I felt her nose bump against me. She pulled back and smiled. “Did it first go this time,” she stated proudly.

I ran my fingers through her hair as I leaned down to kiss her. “You’re an extremely talented young woman, Kelly Chambers.”

She kissed me back before kissing down my body back to my cock, and she proceeded to give me a wonderful blowjob, her head bobbing up and down at various speeds, able to read the rate of my breathing, the noises I made, my general body language as to how close I was getting. Her teasing was relentless, stopping more than once to simply stroke me, looking up and talking dirty to me. The only reason I didn’t grab her, turn her over and fuck her is because I wanted her to make me cum with her mouth, intrigued as to what she’d do.

When I warned her, she made no move to take my cock from her mouth and a last warning I was about to cum was ignored. So she took my load in her mouth, humming away rather happily as I grabbed the back of her head gently, more to steady myself than anything. When my slightly softening cock dropped from her mouth, I felt her lips kiss back up my body until she was on her knees as I hugged her. “Very tasty, Shepard,” she whispered into my ear. I couldn’t help chuckle at how eager she sounded.

I live by the rule with women in that I will always return the favour. So I gently threw her back on the bed, almost ripped off her panties in my haste, and spread her legs. She was already very excited, her pussy glistening in the low light of my cabin. “I take it you enjoyed that?”

“I enjoyed blowing _you_, Shepard.”

I returned the favour, and then some. My teasing was relentless. She was partly frustrated as I brought her to the brink of orgasm more than once before I’d slow down, earning a groan first before she knew what I was doing. I used nothing but my tongue and mouth on her, my hands keeping her knees back as I ate her out. Her entire body shuddered as her first orgasm arrived, and she didn’t bother even attempting to hide her cries, definitely shouting my name, which simply made me smile as I kept on going.

“Holy shit,” she stated with a giggle, “Another one or do you want to fuck me now?”

“What would you like?” I asked, placing my chin just above her sex, looking up her body.

“You, Shepard.”

So I crawled up the bed, kissing her body along the way, before I could kiss her lips as I slid my cock inside her. She then practically ordered me to fuck her, so that’s what she got. Nothing slow or gentle about the next few minutes. Kelly Chambers was fucked hard by former Commander Shepard, and she seemed to love every second of it. She had me stop though, flipping over to her hands and knees, wiggling her arse in my direction, so she got fucked that way next. That allowed me to fondle her at the same time, and she was soon resting her head on the bed as she couldn’t hold herself up any longer.

I couldn’t last much longer myself, far too excited and, with another loud groan, I left a load inside her before I simply had to pull out and collapse onto the bed next to her. Breathing deeply, I heard her giggle as she threw an arm over my chest.

“So, is it always like this with your lovers?”

“Sometimes.” I paused and then told her something very few others knew. “With Annie, the first few times we got together… One time, we booked a hotel room for when I had a forty-eight furlough. We entered the room Friday evening, didn’t leave until the Sunday night. Ordered room service. Otherwise, neither of us travelled with baggage as we knew what we were meeting up for. I was exhausted by the time I returned to base the Monday morning.”

“Your file…”

“Wouldn’t tell you how I really thought and felt about her, Kelly. It would simply state her name, birthday, where she was from, what she did, where she died. Nothing could ever explain what she meant to me, how her loss affected me… Guess it would state I dealt with the guy responsible though. That was a righteous kill.”

“It does explain your…” She paused, no doubt unsure how to put it.

“My lack of commitment nor how I don’t like monogamy? Perhaps. First time I fell in love, she was taken from me. So while I would hope it happens again, I’m not looking for it and I’ll know when I’m ready to settle down, and right now, I’m not. And this isn’t the job to have a wife and kids back at home. Far too many horror stories for both men and women in the service. Better off staying single and just enjoying your life when you have the chance.”

“A girl in each port?” she asked with humour.

“No, nothing like that. Well… Before I died, there was Emily on the Citadel. Gianna on Noveria. But then there was Ashley, Liara, Shiala on the ship. Also enjoyed one or two times with Tali and even Benezia. Then there was Doctor Ross, that was a weird one considering how we met, but she was keen and sometimes I just can’t say to a beautiful woman. Helena Blake, who was an older woman. Don’t mind a beautiful mature woman. Shai’ra, the Consort on the Citadel.”

“Your file had information on most of those, Shepard, so it’s not surprise to me. As I said, I knew what I was getting into by jumping into the sack with you.”

To prove her words, she straddled my lap, rubbing herself against my shaft, which was already hard again but just to tease me. She couldn’t do it too long herself before wanting it, and I eventually watched my cock disappear inside her again. Watching Kelly ride me again was a beautiful sight, and again I had slight reminders of days now long past, so I tried to put them out of my mind and just focus on Kelly. She waxed lyrical about my cock, how great it felt, and the usual things I would hear from most of my lovers. She was pretty damned good herself. I loved going down on her because she tasted divine, and she was nice and tight, so I certainly had plenty of enjoyment as well.

We didn’t quite orgasm together, as she came first, then came a second time before I emptied another load inside her. She collapsed onto my chest after that, both of us now feeling rather hot, sticky and sweaty, and I was pretty beat by then. So after we’d calmed down, I suggested a shower to clean up before going to sleep. There was plenty of cuddling and making out in the shower, distracting ourselves as we tried to wash, before we headed back to bed. Spooned back into me that night, she was certainly in a good mood, chatting away about life on the ship, telling me about the crew and the lives they led. It was at moments like that I understood why she’d been hired. Her personality was infectious. Little wonder I liked her. Eventually, I just held her close, feeling the smooth skin of her back against my chest, and I felt her calm down.

“I really like you, Shepard.”

“Well, I really like you too, Kelly.”

“I’ll see you in the morning. Maybe I’ll wake you up with a certain treat…”

“Well, something to look forward to then.”

She giggled as I kissed her cheek. “Goodnight, Shepard,” she whispered.

“I’ll see you in the morning. Right here next to me.”

Yeah, I really did like her.


	25. Book 2, Chapter 6 - Tank Born

It’s always a nice thing to be woken by a blowjob in the morning, though once I was with it enough, I had Kelly spin around so I could at least return the favour. Pussy, breakfast of champions. After we’d both enjoyed an orgasm, we couldn’t just leave it there, and a good, hard fuck followed, Kelly holding on for dear life, legs wrapped around me, fingers digging into my back, as she cried for me to fuck her harder still. I could only chuckle as I was really going at it, but she seemed to love every second.

Once we were done, I made her giggle as I picked her up, throwing her over my shoulder, making caveman grunts as I carried her to the shoulder. “Me Shepard. Take you to cave. Water hot.”

I had her laughing even more as I made a real big deal about cleaning her down, though she turned the conversation around when suggesting she was rather dirty. That sort of talk would only lead to one thing usually, though we knew we had to get downstairs for breakfast. Our absences would be noted, and though I expected gossip eventually, the longer it could be avoided, the better.

Still, as we walked into the mess together, most eyes did turn towards us. Kelly’s hair was still wet, and her cheeks were still bright red, and that wasn’t just from the shower. I probably had a spring in my step. Always did after sex. Taking a seat opposite Garrus, Kasumi moving across so I could, Kelly sat down next to me and started to eat, without a care in the world. I think she would have enjoyed the fact she was fucking me when no-one else was on the ship.

Garrus finally bit the bullet. “So you and Kelly?”

“Me and Kelly what, Garrus?”

“You know… you’re together…”

“We’re not together, Garrus,” Kelly replied, not lifting her eyes as she was focusing on her food, “We’re just fucking. Perfectly natural thing for two people to do.”

Garrus just looked back at me. All I could do was shrug. “She’s right,” I added.

“So that didn’t take you long then?”

“I think he waited too long. I’d have fucked him the first day on the ship,” Kelly said.

Garrus couldn’t do anything except burst into laughter. Even Kasumi giggled next to me. “I’d heard rumours. I guess they were true,” she said.

“Has Jack popped up?” I wondered, hopefully moving the conversation on.

“Haven’t seen her since she disappeared yesterday,” Garrus replied.

I looked down the row of tables towards Zaeed. “You seen any sign of her?”

“No, Shepard. I did pop my head into engineering, letting anyone in there that it was breakfast time. But I guess she’s not up to joining us.”

“Well, she doesn’t like crowds. She might come up after we’re all done.”

“You won’t go chasing her?” Garrus asked.

“No. Though I’d like us to eat as a team, I’m not going to force her to do anything that makes her uncomfortable. She’ll join us when she’s ready.” I glanced around and noticed Miranda wasn’t around. “What about Lawson?”

“She popped out to grab a tray. She did sit here, or at least near us for a few minutes, but when you didn’t appear, she headed back into her quarters.”

“Fair enough. I’m sitting down with her after this anyway.”

“You are?” Garrus asked, definitely surprised.

I shrugged, replying, “Guess we should actually get to know each other as people. Detest the organisation, but I’m working with the people. The other night, I got to know many of them, at least on the surface. Can’t say many of them were fanatics. I think Lawson is different but I might be surprised. I’m sure she has her own story.”

I focused on finishing my breakfast, watching and waiting as the rest of the crew slowly disappeared upstairs to their stations. Kelly was one of the last to disappear, kissing my cheek once no-one was around, and I let her know I’d probably be at my terminal after my chat with Miranda. Grabbing a couple of mugs from a freshly brewed batch, I headed towards Miranda’s office. Her eyes widened with surprise, but the smile that appeared was a surprise to me, though it would have been due to the coffee I was carrying for her. “Wasn’t sure how you like it? I can grab some things.”

“Little bit of sugar would be perfect, Commander.” I headed back out, put a dash of milk in mine, grabbed some sugar, and headed back in. We focused on preparing our coffee before we both sat back, taking the first sip in silence. “I was out in the mess earlier…”

I shook my head. “It’s fine. I was running late.”

“Because of Kelly…” There was an edge to her tone I expected. I have no doubt every member of the crew had been warned about fraternising with me in such a way. As Kelly told me, it was all in my file, and Miranda had likely read it back to front numerous times. I simply met her eyes and waited for her to add something. “I’m not judging you, Shepard. Your file was rather detailed in regards to your… private life.”

“Did it make you uncomfortable?”

She scoffed. “Of course not. You approach sex casually.” She shrugged, adding, “That’s what you want, I’m not going to judge you for it.”

“Well, enough about me for now. We’re in here because of you, Miss…”

“Miranda, Commander. Please… I feel so… awkward when you call me that, particularly in private. I think one way of becoming familiar with each other is to use friendlier terms.”

“Okay… Miranda,” another slight smile, and I think it was of relief that I easily acquiesced to her request, “We’ll use familiar terms. I’m Shepard.” I leaned forward, offering my hand. “Nice to meet you.”

She laughed, the first time I’d ever heard her laugh. She grabbed my hand, no surprise it was rather soft and feminine, giving my hand a gentle squeeze before she drew back. “Nice to meet you too, Shepard.”

I leaned back, taking another ship. “So, what’s your story? You know everything about me, it seems, but I know absolutely nothing about you. I’m here this morning to rectify it. We will be working together for the next few months and being at loggerheads won’t help anyone. We need to establish a working relationship. Basically, you need to think like me and vice versa.”

“What would you like to know?”

“Well, you have an accent but that means nothing nowadays. Where were you born?”

“I wasn’t born, Shepard. I was created.” I definitely raised my eyebrows as the way she said it. “It’s a long story, Shepard. Can we not go completely personal off the bat?”

“Tell me whatever you feel comfortable with, Miranda. As I said, we have plenty of time.”

“What I can say is that I was raised by father, a domineering presence. I was pushed constantly to excel, and often failed to meet his ludicrously high demands. You suggested I am not good with people. I’ll level with you, Shepard. I’m not. When I was growing up, I had very few friends. I was mostly schooled at home, private tutors and had very little free time, constantly pushed to do various things. Learn instruments. Play sports, generally individual rather than with a team. I was quizzed constantly and expected to pass with flying colours. It was extremely demanding of someone so young.”

“Your mother?”

“I don’t have one. Part of that story I don’t exactly want to tell yet.”

“Sure, sure. So life wasn’t that great then?”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“So how did you end up with Cerberus?”

“Well, you can only push someone so far until they snap. Despite my solitude, I managed to keep in contact with one or two people who were willing to help me, knowing what I put up with at home. One evening, I put a few things in a backpack, got past the security, and tried to just disappear.”

“Security? For you or for…?”

“Oh, mostly for him. He’s rather important, or thinks he is anyway. I know he sent people after me, but despite the expectation, I know I’m smart but I needed protection. So that’s when I approached Cerberus. My father had dealt with them before, that’s how I found information about them. When father found out, he was furious, but the Illusive Man must have seen something in me, as he assured me I was protected, so my father severed his own links with Cerberus. I’ve been here ever since.”

“That explains your loyalty.”

“Partly. I strive to help humanity, Shepard. That is why I am here, not just on this ship, but part of the organisation. Humanity has made great strides in the past few hundred years. The galaxy is literally our oyster now. We can be still so much better, and there are many people, as smart if not smarter than me, working towards that aim as part of Cerberus.”

I took a moment. This was the first time I’d heard real passion in her voice. She truly believed in what she was saying. Yes, there was loyalty but she also enjoyed her work. I don’t think I was wrong about Cerberus itself, but she seemed to believe they were fighting for the greater good. But I thought I’d throw her a curve ball.

“What do you do for fun?”

Yep, the look of confusion on her face nearly made me laugh. “Fun?”

“Yeah, fun. When you’re not working, what do you do for fun?”

“What do you do?”

I wagged a finger. “Nah-uh, we’re not talking about me, Miranda. We’re getting to know you. How do you blow off steam after a long day? Chill out watching a movie? Lie back reading a good book? Sit at a bar and pound beers or girly drinks?”

She sat back and had to give it some thought. “This is going to sound pathetic, Shepard, but I worked on you for two years and it was almost a twenty-four-seven job. If I wasn’t busy at work, I was either eating or sleeping otherwise.”

“Dating?”

She gave me a look and there was even a faint, sad smile. “I don’t have to time, Shepard. My work is far too important for personal relationships.”

“And this is what I’m talking about. One thing I learned through all my training is that you need to know when to relax. Take some time for yourself, recharge the old batteries, do something that will put a smile on your face, god forbid even laugh.”

“I have fun, Shepard,” she insisted.

“Okay, give me an example.”

She gave it some thought again, looking away for a moment, before turning back to me with a grin. “Fashion.”

“Fashion?”

“I keep up to date with fashion, Shepard. Considering I’m always in uniform, when I get the chance, I like to wear nice clothes but, more importantly, look good in them. Turn heads if necessary. So, fashion. It’s an interest of mine. I’ll read magazines. Even watch clips. And I’ll browse during moments of quiet, wondering what I should buy next.”

To be honest, I couldn’t disagree. It was a hobby or an interest not related to her work. “Okay, you like fashion. Fair enough.”

“Learned enough yet?”

I couldn’t help chuckle. “Want me gone now, eh?”

“Well, I have finished my coffee and I do have a mountain of reports to do. However, I understand we are on our way to Korlus, correct?”

“Yep, should be there tomorrow, I believe.”

“Well, if you want, we can do some training together before we get there. Our work was solid on Purgatory but there’s always room for improvement. Right?”

“I’m always training, Miranda, so we’ll get together… this afternoon. Sound good?”

“I look forward to it, Shepard.”

Reaching forward to take her mug as well, I rose and wandered towards the door when I turned back. “Thanks, Miranda.”

She immediately knew what it was for. “No problem, Shepard. Glad to have you back.”

“You and me both. Hell of a job. No idea how you did it. Don’t bother trying to explain, I won’t understand.”

“You’ll prove you were worth every credit when we stop the Collectors, Shepard.”

“Four million credits, right?” She nodded. “Hell of a price tag. Anyway, I’ll see you downstairs after lunch.”

Grabbing another mug, I poured some coffee and headed upstairs, delivering one to Kelly for once, who was very pleased to receive it. Standing close behind her, I leaned forward, resting my head just off her shoulder. “I must behave,” I whispered.

“Though I don’t want you to,” she whispered back, “How was your chat?”

“Constructive. We’re going to train together this afternoon.”

“Hmmm. Methinks Shepard has wandering eyes already.” I laughed at that comment. Not a chance of that happening and that’s the very thought I expressed. “Are you saying you’d turn her down?”

“I’m not saying that at all,” I retorted, as she turned around, sipping her drink, “I’m saying she’d never agree to it.” She raised an eyebrow, as if not believing what I said. “What?”

“Does she intimidate you?”

“No. She was pissing me off. I think we’re in a better spot now. I think we’ve cleared the air a little bit. I think Jack was right about the cheerleader bit but now I understand why she’s almost a fanatic.”

“You see, this was in your file, Shepard. You are hard on your crew when necessary but try to understand them at the same time.”

“Lead by example.” She was looking at me in a certain way so I thought I should probably end the conversation. Then I thought _Bugger it_ and leaned forward to give her a soft kiss. “Better go to my own terminal,” I said quietly.

“I’ll join you for lunch later.”

The messages never stopped flooding in, and I was under the impression word had reached those in the know in the Alliance. I had sent Anderson my new address to keep in contact, but he’d obviously sent that to certain people, as certain friends that I’d known for years were contacting me, asking where I’d been, asking if the rumours of Cerberus affiliation were true, while certain higher-ups were already asking whether I could assist with missions or could at least drop by to chat. I read, replied and deleted those I could, marking others that I would reply in private later.

I had a thought, wandering into Mordin’s lab and asking if there was any way I could do some work privately, without the all-seeing eyes of EDI and Cerberus. He managed to firewall his own omni-tool, so I gave him mine and asked him to do what he could. He added he’d see to my terminal upstairs, but that I shouldn’t do anything I deemed private on my terminal in the CIC as him tampering with it would likely lead to it being changed back without any of us knowing.

After heading down to the batteries, chatting with Garrus about what we could do to make the cannons even more effective, and shooting the shit about a varied bunch of topics as always, it was time for a quick lunch before I headed downstairs with Miranda for some training. She’d changed out of her usual outfit, now wearing some lycra leggings and a loose shirt. “I’m thinking intense training, Shepard, so we’re going to pick up a real sweat.”

So I took off my shirt without thinking about as she’d seen me naked anyway. I could stand there naked and I doubted that would provoke a reaction. We then got to work, Miranda methodical in her approach but I found it worked, going through each detail of how to warp, throw, pull, use a shockwave and then found some dummies and had me perform a series of charges, later with a shotgun as I feigned firing one, twice, three times as the dummies were positioned as how they might be facing in the middle of a fight.

It was gruelling work, and after a couple of hours, I was feeling the strain, more mentally than physically, and the floor was definitely slick with sweat. Miranda had been training as hard, her light grey shirt now rather dark and pressed to her body, highlighting her obvious curves. She walked over from the nearby bench, offering a bottle of water.

“You’re a fucking natural, Shepard.” I blinked in surprise at the curse. “We’re down here alone. Don’t think there are many devices down here.”

“Know about those?”

“Of course I do. I might have wanted the control chip, but I certainly don’t like being spied upon. But you get used to knowing they are there.”

“I assume you were monitored constantly while fixing me then?”

She shrugged. “As I said, you get used to it. The Illusive Man believes he is protecting his investments. I can see his reasoning.” She took a sip from her bottle. “I know what Mordin is up to with the others. I’ll receive a message sooner rather than later about it.”

“Send it to me then. I’ll tell him where to shove his fucking devices.”

She gave me a glance before there was a faint smile. “Can I be serious a moment?”

“Of course.”

“I’m going to blunt. I don’t suppose there’s a chance of winning you over to our cause?”

“I find it highly unlikely, Miranda. Not after what I witnessed what your organisation was capable of two years ago. I’m sure the Illusive Man has given you excuses, but I don’t want to hear them. Nothing can justify some of the atrocities we found. And I don’t think the organisation had changed completely since that time. Bringing me back? A good thing. Stopping the Collectors? A good thing. But there is blood on his hands. Human blood. He wasn’t experimenting on aliens, the things he claims to hate, he was experimenting on _us_. To me, that is unforgivable.”

Miranda simply nodded and I assumed she didn’t want to argue, since we were getting along. “Well, unless you want to carry on, I think that was a good session, Shepard. We should just keep working on the basics for now, but we can certainly try new things in the future.”

“Sounds like a plan. I usually work out in the morning. We can do this a couple of days a week, in the afternoon. And don’t go putting it in your diary. Let’s just do it when the feeling takes us.”

“I can do that, Shepard.”

“Good. And thanks for your help. Feel like I’m getting on top of being biotic now. It’s still weird though.”

“You’ll get used to it, Shepard.”

Getting into the elevator, she got off on the mess level, needing to go shower, as I headed to my cabin, as I needed a shower myself. I definitely spent a few minutes as I have no doubt that, even with deodorant, I probably stank, so an extra deep scrub was probably required. After I’d finished, I grabbed a few datapads and sat in just my towel on the couch. The top one was in regards to the last recruit before I was either sent more possibilities or something happened with the Collectors.

I’d barely glanced at it, only taking down the fact we were heading to a planet called Korlus. Sitting back, I laughed away at the idea of a krogan doctor. From what Wrex told me, Tuchanka was a complete mess and they relied on outside assistance for pretty much everything except ways to kill either each other or other people. But if a krogan doctor was going to do anything, it would be in regards to one thing I remembered Wrex telling me all about.

“Joker, how long until we’re in the vicinity of Korlus?”

_“Tomorrow morning, Commander. You should have time for breakfast at least.”_

“Okay, thanks.”

Grabbing another datapad, I checked the information we had on Korlus. Some datapads contained almost too much information regarding places we might be venturing. Korlus sounded like a giant shithole and incredibly dangerous. I didn’t mind the second thing as long as I was armed, but oppressive heat, humidity and an environment toxic to nearly anything living wasn’t the way I would want to spend my morning. But this krogan came recommended by the Illusive Man, and to be honest, he hadn’t steered me wrong yet. I was still waiting for that first knife in the back…

I heard the doors open, glancing up to see Kelly wander in, coming to a stop when she saw me in just my towel. Her eyes definitely lit up as she immediately peeled off her top and unclasped her bra quickly before she kicked off her boots and lowered her trousers and panties, naked far quicker than even I thought possible. Grabbing the datapad, she threw that over onto the bed as she grabbed my knees and spread them slightly as she kneeled between them, opening the towel to reveal my growing erection.

She wasted no time at all taking my cock in her mouth, resting my head back on the couch and groaning. God, she was good at this. Her head was soon bobbing up and down slowly, looking up every so often as I caressed her face or ran fingers through her hair. I would even say she looked beautiful with a mouthful of cock. Pulling it out for a moment, she rested it against her cheek as she looked up at me. “Do you love it when I do this, Shepard?”

“God yes. You’re fantastic.”

“I want you to do something for me. When you’re about to cum, let me know. I want you to give me a facial.”

“Really?” I asked, feeling my eyebrows raise at such a request.

“As you said, god yes. It’s so hot, Shepard. Like you’re marking me as yours.”

“You’ve got a deal.”

So she resumed blowing me, her head bobbing up and down slowly, feeling her tongue do it’s magic, eventually picking up the pace and I was soon moaning rather loudly, whispering her name in a fashion she would have known I was completely turned on. When I warned her I was close, she moved so I could eventually stand up, and she kept blowing me until I knew I was close, eventually sitting back on her knees, looking up at me as I stroked myself until the first shot hit her right in the middle of her face, quickly followed by at least five more. Her face was coated in cum, and she giggled to herself. “Wow,” she said, “You do cum a lot, Shepard.”

“Guess it’s another thing to be thankful to Miranda for! Plus, the blowjob was hot.”

“I love to please you, Shepard. I thought that would be obvious by now.” She used a finger to clean some but I eventually led her to the bathroom, as she couldn’t really open her eyes, turning on the shower and handing her some soap so she could clean her face. When she could finally open her eyes, she turned to me, an enormous smile on her face. “I’ve never done that for anyone before. I knew all about it, of course. Just had to do it.”

“Consider me both honoured and impressed.”

Leaning down to kiss her, my hands were soon wandering over her body, though she gently grabbed my wrist as she spread her legs slightly, eventually feeling the warmth between them. She kissed me hard as I slid a couple of fingers inside her. “Get me off just like this,” she whispered.

“I like a challenge,” I whispered back before kissing her, immediately positioning my hand so I could slide a couple of fingers into her while also fondling her clit. She was soon whimpering into my mouth, her fingers digging into my back as I was soon pumping into her.

“Oh god!” she cried, breaking the kiss, “Just like that, Shepard.”

I simply grinned as I met her eyes, hers filled with every emotion and her feelings of the moment. I kissed her hard again before she had to break, breathing deeply before resting her head on my shoulder, crying out again before she gently bit my shoulder. “Fuck!” she cried.

“Going to cum for me?” I asked quietly.

“Keep going!” she shouted, “Don’t stop… please…”

“Sounds like you’re pleading, Kelly. Are you begging for me to make you cum?”

“Yes!” she cried out, “Please, Shepard. Make me cum.”

I doubled down, glad I kept my fingernails tidy as I was now really pumping into, focusing on that special spot I knew she had and I’d found the very first time we’d fucked. Fondling her clit at the same time, she was now practically riding my hand at the same time, holding on tight, only her deep breathing and cursing heard over the running water.

“Oh god,” she cried out before releasing a long moan, feeling her squeeze my fingers as she enjoyed one hell of an orgasm, the sort that left her legs like jelly and she needed me to hold her up. She relaxed against me as I removed my fingers, meeting her eyes as I sucked them clean, making her giggle before she closed her eyes. “Well, I’m ready for dinner now,” she mumbled.

Turning off the shower, I grabbed a fresh towel, wrapping it around my waist, before wrapping her up in one and picking her up in my arms, which earned me a kiss on the cheek, as I led her back to the couch, sitting down as she lay sideways on my lap and leaned against my chest. “Were you doing anything important?” she asked.

“Just checking details for tomorrow. Last minute things.”

“Hope I didn’t distract you too much.”

“Trust me, absolutely no complaints.”

We relaxed like that until I heard her stomach rumble. I was hungry too but willing to wait until she was ready. It was amusing as she had to get up and slowly retrieve her clothes across my floor as I dressed in some jeans and a shirt. Taking her hand, we walked out to the elevator, and when we arrived at the mess, I continued to hold her hand until we were at the counter, ready to collect our trays. It was now obvious to everyone what was going on, so no-one said a word, sitting across from Garrus as always, Kelly sitting next to me.

“Plan for tomorrow, Shepard?”

“Considering Korlus is meant to be the murder capital of the Terminus Systems, everyone is coming. So that’s you, Kasumi, Zaeed, Jack, Miranda and Jacob. I want all the firepower I have at my disposal.”

“Sounds like fun,” Kasumi stated.

“I would like to think I’ve been to worse places, but from the description,” I trailed off with a shrug.

“No Mordin?” Garrus asked.

“I want him focused on dealing with the Collectors. Once that is done, I’ll take him with us.”

“Any idea of factions on the ground?” Zaeed wondered.

“Most of the major organisations have a presence. But the major presence is of krogan, which explains Doctor Okeer being on the planet. He can perform whatever experiments he is doing in secret.”

“So we could be running into an army of krogan? Great,” Garrus muttered.

“Hopefully we’ll get a fix on Okeer and we can shuttle in somewhat close to wherever he is working. My only concern is that there are groundside planetary defences, so landing might be tricky.”

After dinner, a few of us headed into the lounge for a drink, and I was pleased to see Miranda join us. She enjoyed one drink, surprised she chose to have a beer. She spent all her time next to Jacob, as it was obvious she knew him best, but she participated in the conversation and seemed to enjoy herself, and more importantly, take five minutes to relax. I met her eyes once and nodded my appreciation for taking my advice.

As we would be heading out on mission the next morning, I didn’t want a late night, though that didn’t mean Kelly was being relegated back to the crew quarters just yet, though as we were lying back in bed after undressing, I told her that the sleeping arrangement simply couldn’t become permanent. She laughed, telling me she certainly understood that, though thanked me for being upfront about it.

I woke early the next morning, letting Kelly stay in bed as I dressed and headed downstairs for a workout. A run on the treadmill. A couple of miles on the rowing machine. Work the punching bag. Callisthenics. Everything to get me ready for the day ahead. Then it was a hearty breakfast for the energy required, slow burning so I wouldn’t be exhausted after a couple of hours’ graft, and adding more calories as I remembered I was now biotic. I smiled to myself, a vivid memory of the mounds of food that would appear on Alenko’s plate. I was glad I could at least smile when I remembered him nowadays. Good man, taken far too soon.

Heading up to the armoury, a few others joined me as I assembled myself in armour. It was comfortable enough to stand around in until we dropped, and I gathered the weapons I would take, leaving those on the bench. Garrus was always in armour, grabbing his sniper and assault rifle. Kasumi didn’t wear armour, only taking a shield pack, though she said though it looked like she wore regular clothes, they were of a mesh that acted like armour, though nowhere near as resilient as the type I wore.

Busying myself at my terminal, I waited until Joker announced we were within range, ordering those who I needed down to the hangar bay, ready to outload. After grabbing my weapons, I headed down alongside Jacob, Miranda, Kasumi and Garrus joining us on the next level, then finally Jack and Zaeed before we arrived at the hangar bay. Our shuttle pilot was already waiting for us, one of the crew who I’d spoken to during one of the nights in the lounge.

Once Joker let us know we were in orbit of Korlus, the shuttle took off towards the surface, switching on the vidscreens so we could see our destination. And it was the textbook definition of a shithole. The ruined frames of ships littered the landscape, rusting in the oppressive heat of the sun. We hadn’t even stepped outside and I was already starting to sweat. EDI had managed to get a fix on Okeer’s location, but there was nowhere suitable for us to land close. We would be landing at least a couple of kilometres back and would have to walk. No doubt our arrival would attract plenty of attention, hence the large team on the ground.

Feeling the shuttle touch down, I opened the door and led the way off, almost shielding my face from the heat and the strong wind, despite the fact I was wearing a helmet. The smell was probably the worst. It smelled like an enormous garbage dump. Those without a strong constitution probably wouldn’t last long planetside. Once everyone was off, Garrus shut the door and gave it a slap, glancing to see it take off. The pilot would return for extraction, hopefully closer to Okeer’s location.

We’d barely walked a few metres when loudspeakers suddenly turned on and we heard a message.

"_There is only one measure of success: kill or be killed! Perfection is your goal."_

“Definitely krogan here with a message like that,” Zaeed muttered.

“Stay loose,” I ordered, “We just want Okeer.”

“And if they want to fight?”

“We kill them and move on. Okeer is the target. I don’t care about anything else.”

Taking point as always, I glanced to see the team spread out when they could, otherwise forming a line as we weaved our way through the wreckage of what must have once been enormous vessels. I had no doubt many of them were freighters, perhaps even dreadnoughts given the size. The loudspeaker echoed again.

"_Being hired is merely the beginning. You must earn your place in the might army we are building."_

“You think Okeer is building a krogan army?” Garrus wondered.

It was a question to ponder, though I doubted he’d have the intelligence for it. I remembered one smart krogan that we met on Virmire briefly, before we killed him. Wrex was intelligent, though in other ways. There were probably others like him. Thinking of Wrex left me wondering where he was. I simply hadn’t looked for most of the old squad, figuring they should know I was alive by now, but as yet, few had reached out. I assumed the Cerberus rumours put them off.

When we ran into Blue Suns mercenaries, we wasted no time. I summoned my biotics and charged, slamming into one mercenary, blasting away the second with my shotgun. Gunfire opened up as that attracted the attention of more, the team spreading out into cover. I used my shotgun but started to use my biotics, a warp here, a pull there. I found the latter useful, as I could drag them close them blammo! Head gone with an accurate blast of the shotgun.

Zaeed definitely took pleasure in killing those in blue. I hadn’t really talked to him much about it yet, but there was definitely history between him and the Blue Suns. After we’d laid waste to them, we noticed that a couple of them were communicating by radio link, so we patched in so we could listen to their conversations. We heard someone called Jedore, and all I needed to do was give Zaeed a questioning look to realise he knew the name.

As we moved on, the loudspeakers continued to speak about the krogan army being built, and how they would march across the galaxy, destroying all those who stood in their way. I’d heard and seen similar ranting from similar nutcases back on Earth. They rarely succeeded for long. We smashed another Blue Suns patrol, Jack stepping forward to show her biotic superiority, flinging Blue Suns around for fun, her shockwaves far stronger than anything I could produce. We took out three more before someone finally took notice.

"_Tell Jedore we have a problem. Patrols are going dark. Either the krogan are pushing or we're being raided!"_

Mercenaries aimed with rocket launcher will always give you a bad day, particularly when the bastards are using cover and they’ve got the high ground. I couldn’t charge up there, so had to link up with the other biotics and use brainpower to get them to move. Meanwhile, Garrus had taken position behind us, no doubt waiting for the right moment. Finally, Miranda managed to get one to move out of cover, Garrus immediately firing, the top half of the mercenary’s head blowing clear off. That forced the one next to him to jump out of the way, Jack immediately grabbing him in a pull, and at least three people riddled the body with bullets.

"_Code six! I repeat, Code Six! Offworld presence! Shift fire from the krogan. Hostiles in the compound!"_

No point fucking around now. I gave the order to push forward. We still used cover and fought smart, but it was obvious the Blue Suns were wilting, though they kept throwing bodies forward for us to shoot. More came forward with heavy weapons, but we got hold of them before they could ready their weapons, and I charged at another two, knocking one down, while the other was too close to do anything but wait for me to swing my weapon, blowing one of his arms clear off before I put the barrel to his neck and fired.

The firing lasted for quite some time before all went quiet. The loudspeakers didn’t shut up but the radio was silent. Jedore was likely still alive, but if she knew we were listening, she wasn’t talking. We kept walking, eyes always searching, always wary, listening intently, until we entered what could only be described as a killing field.

And in the middle of said killing field was one giant fucking krogan. I would never say a krogan looked harmless, even docile, but this one didn’t seem willing to kill us yet. I gestured for weapons down as I carefully approached the krogan, he doing the same thing until we were only a couple of paces apart.

"You are different. You don't smell like this world. Seven night cycles, and I have felt only the need to kill. But you… something makes me speak."

“I guess Okeer must breed them full-size, ready to throw into battle immediately. Killing machines straight out of the tube,” Miranda stated.

If this krogan was a test tube baby and only a week old, god knows how big he’d be later, unless he was simply bred to grow this quickly. It was beyond my realm of expertise.

"No. I kill because my blood and bone tell me. But I flushed from glass mother for a different reason."

“So what are you doing here then?”

"Surviving. That is what the voice in the water told me to do. But… Otherwise, I have failed. So I will continue to fight here until I find a worthy opponent."

"Why don't you come with us? You'll be guaranteed a fight. Perhaps a worthy opponent."

The krogan shook its head. "No. I will stay here and fight. But I can show you the way to glass mother. It is up further. Behind more of you fleshy things."

I followed him as the krogan lifted an enormous steel plate like it weighed nothing, revealing a hidden entrance, or exit depending on your point of view. He stood to the side as I let my team pass by first, looking back at him. He simply stood there, probably ready to replace the steel plate back. “Sure you don’t want to come? Things ahead might try and kill you.”

“I will wait here and fight until I am released. I am not perfect. The voice says I must wait. But I will wait and kill until proven worthy."

“Good luck.”

I walked through the gap and heard the krogan place the steel plate back into position. Of course, we’d wiped out plenty of Blue Suns, and I’d warned of krogan presence, and that was who we ran into next. Tough bastards as well. Charging one krogan isn’t a bad idea. Charging any more than one isn’t a good idea, so I stayed back with the team, switching to my assault rifle, and we simply rained bullets upon them. Krogan can be bullet sponges at the best of times, so I always found aiming at their rather large faces a good tactic.

The chatter on the radio started up again as it appeared the Blue Suns were also being attacked by the same krogan. I was left wondering if it wasn’t Okeer behind it all. If he was, then I was left feeling I’d underestimated this krogan. If he truly was creating an army, then he was one hell of a dangerous krogan.

We passed through scenes of carnage, as it was obvious the Blue Suns had been slaughtered by the krogan. We barely had a moment of respite as we were now weaving our way through the ruins of starships, and although that meant more cover, it meant less room to move. Whenever we ran into Blue Suns, I’d charge and use my shotgun, giving my team time and space. If we ran into krogan, I switched to my assault rifle.

"_Krogan on our six! Copy, goddamn it! Where's Jedore and her personal guard?"_

It seemed the krogan were as intent on wiping out the Blue Suns as much as we were, or at least as much as Zaeed was. I was left thinking if we were not around, he would have taken the ear of each one he killed. Or maybe their heads. He certainly fought with a ferocity I had seen momentarily on Omega whenever we faced mercenaries in blue.

I was left thinking we were approaching their rear, as over the radio, we could hear a furious gunfight that didn’t abate. We heard one report that suggested Jedore was going to deal with Okeer, so that suggested we should probably move just a little faster. I wasn’t going to come all this way, deal with all this shit, just for that fucking krogan to be executed. Then Jedore’s voice over the loudspeaker with one explicit command. We had to be killed. Immediately. Whoever did would receive large cash bonuses.

Blue Suns mercenaries flooded in our direction. It was little more than a shooting gallery and I was charging left and right, blasting away, before charging again. Once I felt the strain, I charged back to safety and cooled down, instead linking up with Miranda, Jacob or Jack, not that she needed much help. She could pick up mercenaries at will and fling them wherever she wanted.

We were now at the top of the ship pile, and if we could take a moment to look, we would have been greeted by an absolute scene of desolation. It was little more than a ship graveyard. The very earth beneath it would have been polluted. The water certainly looked toxic. I felt sorry for anyone who did not willingly live on the planet or for those who couldn’t escape. Anyone who chose to live there was off their rocker. No wonder the krogan thrived. I hadn’t been to Tuchanka but I’d read about it.

The Blue Suns were dug in and waiting. Their last stand. No doubt Okeer was close. No orders were necessary as we fanned out and got to work. With their heavy weapons, I aimed for them when charging. I’d learned that, if I timed it right and hit them hard enough, the collision alone could kill them, but most of the time, it either put them on their arse or staggered them, and it required a following blast of a shotgun to ensure they were dead. I was surprised Jack didn’t use the skill, so I’d have to ask her later. Miranda and Jacob had already admitted that it was a little too close counters for their liking.

No-one lived by the end. We might have been a much smaller team, but we were all professionals. We’d been trained to do this. I’d seen mercenaries. Most of them thought they were soldiers, but most were little more than weekend warriors. Zaeed knew Jedore, at least by sight, so he started to check the bodies, but he found no sign of her. I was hoping we would have killed her then and there, but I didn’t worry about it too much. The important matter was Okeer.

Walking up another stairway, we walked through a doorway into a rudimentary lab. There were a few tanks and other equipment around, vague reminders of what I’d seen on Virmire, and also on the _Normandy_. Glancing around, I noticed a krogan in a lab coat watching a vidscreen. He turned to me as I asked, “You Doctor Okeer?”

"It's about time! The batteries on these tanks will not wait while you play with these idiotic mercenaries."

“Look, I think we’ve just saved your arse so a little gratitude would be appreciated. We are here to help you. Well, recruit you, to be honest.”

"You may claim to be here to help, but the formerly deceased Shepard is not a sign of gentle change."

“You talking about Virmire?” My fingers tightened around the trigger of my weapon. It was noticed, as there was definite movement behind me. Okeer noticed as all he did was grin.

"You misunderstand, Shepard. I approved of your actions. They were not true krogan. Never would have been. Numbers alone are nothing."

"So what's the problem then?"

"Jedore. I've given her my rejects for her pathetic army. And now she wants to kill me." He paused for a beat, then nodded. "Yes, I think my time here is at an end."

“So you’re willing to come with?”

“Yes. I assume you will tell me what it’s about once we are gone?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Very well.” He then walked towards a nearby tank that happened to contain a fully-grown krogan. He gazed upon it like a father would look upon his son. "He is my greatest creation. One pure soldier." The krogan looked back at me. "If I come, he must come with me. That is non-negotiable."

“What is he exactly?”

“He is my legacy.”

“Rightio. I’ll call in the shuttle and…”

The loudspeaker started up again. _"Attention! I have traced the krogan release. Okeer, of course."_ I walked to a nearby window, the rest of his squad joining me, as we finally got to see the person behind the voice. _"I'm calling a blank slate on this project. Gas the commandos and start over from Okeer's data. Flush the tanks!"_

Okeer went into a rage immediately, and I was left wondering if he was going to fully release and we’d have to put him down. Thankfully, he calmed down after a few moments. "Shepard, you want information on the Collectors? Stop her. I'll do what I can here."

I smirked. I should have known he would be aware. But I still asked, "Can't you just start over, like she suggested?"

The krogan shook his head. "No. He is pure. I cannot duplicate the results. He must survive."

"Okay, we'll take care of it."

"Kill her, Shepard. I will stay here and… do what I have to do."

We ran to where Jedore had her people stationed, ready to do whatever she threatened. They were waiting for us of course, the rest of her Blue Sun army and the few krogan that had survived. Gunfire erupted and I wasn’t the only one to have shields fail as we had to race to find cover. Once we were, I waited for my shields to recharge before I returned fire, keeping an eye on the big krogan. Zaeed only had eyes for Jedore, the abuse being fired at her direction causing plenty of ears to turn red. I chuckled at the rather descriptive ways of how he was going to treat her body once she was dead. Nothing perverted, he was just rather pissed off.

The krogan didn’t work together, so I could do what I wanted, which was charge into them, stagger them just enough that I had space to lift my weapon, and more than one took a full shotgun blast to the face. For good measure, I’d usually add another one before sliding into cover, bullets flying over my head as I drew all the attention. I checked to see another enormous shockwave from Jack sending more Blue Suns flying, and I followed that up with another charge, knocking over two more, more blasts of my shotgun, before I was under fire yet again.

“Shepard, Jedore is isolated. I’m going after her,” Zaeed yelled.

“Take company!”

“Jacob, Miranda, Jack, let’s deal with the cunt. Follow me!”

As the four disappeared, I heard alarms start to cry out, looking back at the door which we’d exited. Running back towards the lab, EDI suddenly had information for me. I guess she’d been monitoring us the entire time.

“_Shepard, the lab alarms coincided with a systems failure. The remaining lab systems are unprotected, and I have gained limited access."_

“What about Okeer?"

“_According to lab scanners, the room is flooded with toxins, and Okeer's personal life signs are failing rapidly. I recommend haste."_

“Fuck, this is all we need now.”

The door to the lab was locked. I had rudimentary hacking skills, Garrus asking me to move and doing what he could. Eventually the door simply unlocked itself and we walked in, glad we had helmets on, as it was clear Okeer had either killed himself, or been killed by the mercenaries. As there was no sign of any blood, it appeared he’d committed suicide. Besides the tank born krogan was a vidsceen, upon which was a message from Okeer, explaining his reasons and asking me to care for his legacy. Looking upon the tank krogan, it wasn’t exactly who we’d come for, but one krogan was better than none.

“So we taking it?” Garrus asked.

“Sure, why not? Wrex was invaluable during out mission to find Saren. If this one is pure krogan, then I’m sure he’ll be just as handy.” I put a finger to my ear, not that I needed to. It was just force of habit. “Normandy, this is Shepard. Okeer is a no-go. But we have a package that needs collecting. Ping my position and send the shuttle."

"_No problem, Commander. ETA five minutes."_

"Oh, and Joker. This package? It's a big one!"

Zaeed returned with the rest moments later, and it was clear the fight had been brutal as two of them were nursing wounds, applying medi-gel as Zaeed looked ready to light a cigar and celebrate. Miranda met my eyes and shrugged, not that I was asking a question. It was easy to assume that Jedore was now dead, and I figured Zaeed had done what he needed to do. “Can they identify her body?”

“Unlikely considering her face is now full of bullets.”

“Understatement, you crazy son of a bitch,” Jacob muttered.

“I told you I was going to deal with her. I did just that.”

“You could have gotten us killed!”

“But you’re not dead, so lighten up, Jacob!”

The shuttle arrived a couple of minutes later, able to hover in the right position so we could wheel the tank onto it. Once we were all on board, I shut the door and it immediately took off back towards the _Normandy_. It was a short flight, nearly everyone taking a seat, removing their helmet and grabbing a bottle of water from the little fridge that was on board. Garrus handed me one, which I necked in about ten seconds, wiping my brow as I looked over the krogan. “Big boy,” I muttered.

Wheeling the tank off the ship, we gathered around it again. The krogan was still asleep, probably kept under until he was woken up by myself. “Okay, might as well just open it now.”

“Are you sure, Shepard?” Garrus asked nervously, “Don’t want to give it some thought before doing it.”

“Nope.” I looked at my friend and he simply chuckled. “Look, we were meant to be getting a krogan. I want a krogan. One thing though. EDI, can you tell me anything about this krogan before I do open it.”

_“One moment, Shepard. I will scan the tank." _EDI paused a beat._ "The subject is an exceptional example of the species. Fully formed primary, secondary and tertiary organs. The only negative genetic marker is the presence of the genophage."_

"Hang on a second. I thought Okeer designed this krogan as not having the genophage or have I missed something?"

_"I cannot guess as to what Okeer's intentions were, Shepard. I can only tell you what I have found."_

"Yeah, fair enough."

“Weird he’d go to all that work, even to sacrificing his life, all for a krogan who still has the genophage,” Miranda muttered, “I would have thought any krogan with half a brain would be wanting a cure for it.”

“Well, I’m getting what I want. Zaeed, Jacob, cover me as I open it up. The rest of you should just stand back. No idea how he’s going to react when woken up. Good thing is that he doesn’t look armed, so we have that.”

“And I guess he can only cause destruction around here,” Miranda muttered.

“Oh ye of little faith,” I retorted, though I took the shotgun from my back as I keyed a series of instructions on the keypad and stood back. The tank swung until it was vertical, noticing the krogan slowly wake up behind the glass before the glass doors swung open and he leapt forward. I immediately raised my shotgun, hearing a series of weapons raised behind me. “That’s close enough.”

The krogan stopped short, watching his eyes narrow as he took us all in. Then he burst forward faster than I expected, knocking my shotgun aside as he roared. Trying to stop myself from tripping over, I ended up being slammed into a pile of heavy crates, thankful they didn’t topple over onto us. With his hand around my neck, I glanced around and met the eyes of Garrus. He read them easily and gestured to the others.

"Human. Male. Before you die, I need a name."

“I’m Shepard, formerly Commander. Need me to introduce the rest?” I tried to ask with humour, difficult as it was with a huge krogan hand trying to choke me.

"No. Mine. I am trained. I know things, but the tank… Okeer couldn't implant connection. His words are hollow."

“He didn’t give you one?”

"No. I know only words. Warlord. Legacy. Grunt." The krogan paused for a second. "Hmmm. Grunt. It has no meaning to me. It will do." The krogan tightened his grip. Breathing was slightly difficult now. I glanced at Garrus again. Now the team moved, though I made sure the krogan concentrated on me. "So, I am Grunt. You are Shepard. If you are worthy of command, prove your strength and try to destroy me."

I definitely smirked. "Why do you want me to fight you? Why do you want to die?"

The krogan who had chosen to be called Grunt appeared confused by the questions. "Want? I do what I am meant to do. Fight and reveal the strongest. Nothing in the tank ever asked what I want."

"Well I'm asking. We don't have to fight. But I have plenty of enemies you can help me fight."

Grunt was silent for a moment, considering my proposal. "Hmmm. Interesting. I feel nothing for Okeer, his clan or enemies. That imprint failed. He has failed."

"So what will you do?"

The enormous krogan put further pressure on my neck and I definitely choked more than once. There was little I could do, trapped between a rock, well, a krogan and a hard place. "Without a reason, one fight is as good as another. Might as well start with you."

"What about Okeer? What about what he wanted?"

"Okeer was nothing but a voice. If I have been created to be stronger than him, then he is not worthy. I feel nothing for Okeer. I feel no connection to him."

"I have a good ship. A strong crew. A strong clan. Join me, and you will make it stronger."

Grunt peered at me, his eyes narrowing as he leaned closer, glaring back at him. "An interesting proposal. If you're weak and choose weak enemies, I'll have to kill you."

"Our enemies are strong. You will find them worthy. You will find my team worthy. Do not doubt that. Most importantly, I will give you a fight. And many enemies to kill."

Grunt was silent again for a moment before he nodded the once. "Very well. I find your proposition… acceptable. For the meantime. I'll fight for you, Shepard."

“Good choice.” There must have been something in my voice, as only then did he glance around to see weapons aimed at his head. That simply made him laugh as he finally released me, allowing me to take a deep breath. Bending over, hands on my knees, I took a few deep breaths before I righted myself. “Okay, so you’re calling yourself Grunt. As I said, I’m Shepard and you’re on the Normandy. This is my team but we’ll do introductions later. First thing first, I’m taking you up to the med-bay. I have no idea what Okeer did to create you, so I just want some tests done first. After that, we’ll find you some quarters and go from there. Sound good?”

“Good enough, Shepard. I hope you prove worthy.”


	26. Book 2, Chapter 7 - Horizon

Grunt settled in relatively quickly. We cleared the crates out of the otherwise empty room opposite to Zaeed on the engineering level, and he was happy enough to stay there. He simply couldn’t stay in the crew quarters due to his sheer size but the krogan didn’t complain. Straight away, he was eager to get off the ship, ready to join my team and start killing things, ready to prove himself to me and the others. Chakwas had given him a clean bill of health.

I asked Miranda if we had any more dossiers. When I was told no, that left me scratching my head as, apart from blindly searching for the Collectors, or trying to figure out where they might strike next, I wasn’t exactly sure what to do next. At least when I was chasing Saren, I had objectives and was generally given plenty of work to do by Admiral Hackett and other members of the Alliance. So far, apart from some recruitment, I had some minor jobs to do but, otherwise, I was tempted to just head to Omega or the Citadel and simply wait for news. The only problem is that, without knowing where the Collectors were, colonies like Freedom’s Progress would continue to be hit and we’d only arrive after the fact. We needed to arrive somewhere either before or during, and hopefully we’d stop them in their tracks.

Thankfully, it was only two days after we left Korlus that we received news. The message didn’t come directly to me. Kelly received it first, busy at my terminal as I was, I felt an arm around my waist then soft lips on my cheek before I felt her hot breath in my ear. “The Illusive Man wants to speak to you,” she breathed.

“God, you even manage to make that sound erotic,” I replied with a chuckle.

“Well, I thought you’d be annoyed by it otherwise. Your opinion about him is quite clear, at least.”

“Where will I be speaking to him?”

“Conference room.” She handed me a datapad. “Instructions to get the link set up.”

“Hopefully it’s news. I’m enjoying all the training. I feel like I’m still getting fitter and stronger…”

She ran a hand up my arm. “Definitely stronger, Shepard. You can certainly carry me around the bedroom with ease.”

“You are rather light, Kelly.” I couldn’t help sigh. “Better go talk to him.”

Heading through the armoury, I let Jacob know that I would be chatting with the Illusive Man. He knew exactly what it would be about. He knew I’d tell him as no doubt Miranda would already be aware of the meeting, and would probably have been told before me. I should find that annoying but I already knew the score. The Illusive Man would only tell me what I needed to know. Miranda was basically his spy within the ranks. Whether she saw herself as that, or even realised she was being manipulated like that, I couldn’t exactly be sure. During our conversation, she’d proven to be surprisingly naïve about the man.

After inputting the code, the table in the conference room disappeared, stepping onto some sort of pad and after some technical magic, I could see the Illusive Man sitting in front of me, smoking a cigarette, which was a nasty habit, and holding a drink in his left hand. I couldn’t see much else behind him, but the light suggested a star, something like the sun. I figured he wasn’t located planet-side but on some sort of space station.

“What are you drinking?” I asked.

“Bourbon, Shepard. A tipple I’m aware you enjoy as well.”

“Well, guess we share one similarity at least.”

“Perhaps more, Shepard, but I am aware of your opinions. But this isn’t a social call. I think we have them.”

“Where?”

“One of our colonies out in the Terminus Systems, by the name of Horizon, has just gone dark."

"Gone dark? For how long?"

"Reports indicate at least a few hours. And if it's isn't already under attack, it soon will be. Has Mordin delivered the countermeasure yet?"

"He's working on it. I believe he's close to cracking it. Last time we spoke, anyway."

"Then he'd better work well under pressure, as you need to get to Horizon ASAP." When he paused, I knew, I just knew, he was going to tell me something else. "There's something else, Shepard."

"Yes?" I asked carefully.

"One of your former crew, Ashley Williams, is currently on Horizon."

"What's she doing in the Terminus Systems?"

"Officially, it's an outreach program by the Alliance. They're endeavouring to improve their relationships with the many colonial governments."

“Think that’s shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted if they’ve only just started doing it.”

“While that might be true, if they’ve sent Operations Chief Williams, who was one of the companions of the ‘Saviour of the Citadel’, then it would suggest that the Alliance is starting to take the threat seriously.”

_Operations Chief? So she’s finally been given a promotion? She should have been at that level years ago considering her talents. But she just so happens to be at Horizon. Can’t be a coincidence. The Collectors know, they know I’ll be told, and it’s a trap._ I kept the thoughts to myself for now. I’m sure the Illusive Man would know I was suspicious already and certainly would never trust him completely. But I wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. This was the news we needed. Find the Collectors, pray that Mordin’s countermeasure works, and then hopefully save a colony.

But first… "Have you notified the Alliance?"

"We have sent a warning through back-channels. They won't know it's from us. But, as you're already aware, their resources are already stretched thin. You're the only one who can get in and possibly stop the Collectors right now."

"Fair point. We'll head there straight away."

"Do what you need to do, Shepard. And good luck."

I closed the link, immediately returning to the CIC and the galaxy map. Inputting the data, I didn’t have to tell Joker as it would have appeared on one of his bank of screens. “_Horizon, Commander?”_

“Get us there ASAP, Joker. Whatever you need from engineering, demand it.”

“_Collectors?”_

“Exactly.”

_“Well, it’s about damned time. Tired of hearing and reading stories about the latest abductions.”_

“How long?”

_“Even if pushing to the max, we won’t arrive until tomorrow morning, Shepard. The relay is in the same system as the planet, opposite side of the main star, but we’re in the wrong position right now. It’s going to be a few hours flying to make it to the nearest relay and we’re going to burn fuel.”_

I groaned. “We need to stop?”

_“Unless you want us drifting aimlessly, Shepard. And there are fewer depots out here in the Terminus. It’s not something we think about while flying around Council space as there are fuel depots everywhere.”_

“Okay. Do whatever you can.”

Mordin at least had good news for me. The countermeasures against the Collectors had been tested and he was confident it would work, though the real test would be during our mission on Horizon. I let him know that he would be on the ground with the rest of us. If the Collectors had arrived in force, I would want a similar force at my disposal. He appeared pleased that he’d be taken off the ship and able to show off other skills than those he could show in the laboratory.

Heading back to my terminal, I continued to check news about Collector attacks. There’d been a couple more after Freedom’s Progress. The Alliance had only arrived in the days afterwards, reporting the same as always. An empty colony but no sign of where they had gone or who had taken them. As yet, they were not reporting any link to the Collectors, which annoyed me. Anderson had been told, and he would have fed that information through to the top brass. Why not tell everyone about what was happening so colonies and the Alliance could go on the front foot? It boggled my mind, stank of bureaucracy more than anything. Politicians likely interfering in matters that should be left to the military.

Confidence was in the air that evening at dinner, plenty of comments about how we were going to kick Collector arse and that they’d rue the day they faced Shepard and his companions in battle. These comments were from those who would remain on the ship. Those who would be beside me on the ground smiled at the fact confidence was high but we knew the situation on the ground. It wasn’t going to be easy.

Kelly knew she wasn’t going to be invited to my room that night, aware I wouldn’t want to be distracted before such an important mission. At least she wasn’t disappointed, or didn’t appear to be, happily heading to the crew quarters with other members as I had one last chat with Miranda, going over the finer details regarding the next day. She agreed with everything I had to say, which was a surprise, and I headed upstairs to take a shower and at least relax for a little bit before bed.

I was woken by EDI the next morning, announcing we’d just arrived in the Iera System and that Horizon was only a couple of hours away. I headed straight downstairs to the mess, one of the first to arrive as I hoovered down my meal, joined by nearly everyone except Jack. “EDI, have you woken her up yet?”

_“I have, Shepard. She told me to fuck off.”_

“Try again.”

Silence for a few seconds before EDI reported. “_I have been told that if I don’t shut up, my head would be shoved so far up my arse, I’ll be eating shit until Christmas.”_

“Fine. I’ll go deal with her.” I wiped my mouth with a napkin and stood up. I felt quite a few pairs of eyes on me as I rounded the partition and stepped straight onto the elevator. Gabby and Ken had been in the mess for breakfast, so it was empty of people as I headed down the stairs. Jack was covered in a thin blanket. Whether she was faking being asleep or not, I didn’t care. She knew the expectations on her shoulders. I tore the blanket off her. “Up now,” I ordered.

“Fuck off, Shepard.”

Wrong thing to say. I’d already warned her about that. I grabbed her by the arm and hauled her out of bed onto the floor. She summoned her biotics immediately. “I’d think very carefully about what you’re going to do in the next five seconds, Jack,” I growled.

“Get off on ordering people around?”

“I’m doing my fucking job, Jack. And part of that job is getting people like you who can’t follow orders. Don’t want to follow them? I’ll gladly hand you over to Cerberus.”

That pissed her off even more, but the fact her eyes glistened suggested the very idea that I’d even said it had upset her. “You wouldn’t?”

I took a step forward. “Don’t try my fucking patience then,” I growled, “EDI told you to get up as we have a mission this morning. When EDI asks you to do something, it is only after I have ordered her to relay the message. So telling EDI to fuck off is telling me to fuck off.” I held up three fingers. “You get no more chances, Jack. That’s three times now. One more and I’m done. Be the angry little shit you want to be, but I will not tolerate disrespect. You will follow my orders while you maintain a position on board my ship.”

She glared at me, breathing deeply, her biotics still summoned, ready to attack. “I could wipe the floor with you, Shepard.”

“Give it your best shot. Trust me on this, you can kill me if you want but you won’t make it off the ship alive. But you kill me, you kill our only hope of stopping the Collectors and the Reapers.”

She snorted. “Surprised you can fit down here with that massive fucking ego.”

“No, just being honest. Council won’t believe me. Alliance are useless. We’re the only people doing something about it. I can’t do it alone. I need help. I chose to keep you around because of your unique gifts. But if you want to throw the opportunity in my face…” I shrugged. “I won’t take responsibility for what happens to you next. So, you’ve got two options. One, calm the fuck down, go upstairs and have some chow, then get ready for a mission. Two, try and fight me, I win, knock you the fuck out, tie you up and then I’ll figure what to do with you next. But your chance at freedom is gone.” I took another step forward until we were only a couple of paces apart, looking down at her. “So what’s it going to be?”

“I could kick your arse. You’ve seen my power.”

“All I need to do is get my hands around your throat and I’d snap your neck like a twig. Then I’d dump your body on the ground and forget about you within five seconds.” I leaned down closer. “Really want to test me, Jack? Really want to see what I’m capable of? Think you’re the only one who has committed murder? I’ve killed on the job in cold blood, Jack. I’ve got plenty of blood on my hands. What’s a little more?” I stood to the side and pointed. “Get your arse up those fucking stairs right now. You’ve got three seconds.”

I waited a breath. “Three.”

She didn’t move.

“Two.”

She didn’t move.

“One.”

She moved before I got ready to grab her and do god only knows what. I waited until she was walking up the stairs before sighing with relief. _What an absolute pain in the fucking arse. We’ll be having a very long chat once we are back from Horizon, that’s for damn sure._ Following her up the stairs, I stood next to her as we ascended one level, letting her get off first as I stayed on for a few more seconds, simply to calm down. The adrenaline was flowing. I’d been very close to lashing out but I was in command and couldn’t give into those sort of emotions.

I did pop my head around the partition, letting those who would be joining me that I was heading to the armoury before heading downstairs. Garrus joined me and could see we’d had a face to face. “So…”

I made a gesture with two fingers. “That close to slapping her and a lot more, Garrus.”

“She’d probably enjoy it.” I gave him a look as he added, “Seen her psych profile, Shepard. Doubt that woman has a loving bone in her body. She’d probably get off being slapped around a bit.”

“Had no idea you thought about such things,” I said as we headed off the elevator into the armoury.

“I’m not as innocent as you think I am, Shepard.” He paused as he looked away. “Though Chloe certainly provides some eye opening moments.”

“Oh, how so, Garrus?”

“Well, I’ve obviously done my research on human females, and also on human-turian relations. I know we have significant differences in practically every way imaginable. But she has really enjoyed it when I… um…”

“Just spit it out, Garrus,” I said with a chuckle as he stumbled over his words.

“She seems to really like it when we make love but it’s in her other… hole, so to speak.”

I was busy getting into my armour and couldn’t help stare. “She’s into anal?”

“Yeah, quite a bit actually. Really enjoys it.”

“Are you not used to it?”

“Well, no. It’s not a big thing in our culture, between a man and woman anyway. We love sex but… well, generally it’s pretty vanilla. But you know about our… um…”

“Jesus Christ, Garrus, are you this awkward with her? You mean you have weird cocks compared to us? Yes, everyone knows after the first few humans tried to have sex with you. Word spread like wildfire actually.”

“Well, I always wonder if I’m hurting her. She says I’m not, and the thing is, when I’m done, we stay… together for a little while. It’s just weird, that’s all.” He paused before sighing. “How the hell did we end up on that topic?”

“You were talking about Jack.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Um… she’s certainly unique. Never seen a human with so many tattoos before.”

“Me either. I’ll need to go get a couple next time I’m on Omega or the Citadel. I had a couple before I died.”

“Anything in particular?”

“Alliance Marine insignia and N7 emblem on one arm. A white rose with Annie’s name on the other arm.”

“White rose?”

“It’s a symbol, Garrus. Everlasting love and eternal loyalty. Probably the main reason I’ll never settle down. She was taken from me so I never had the opportunity to do it with her.”

“She was the one?”

“Sometimes, I wish I’d died there with her, Garrus.” I grabbed the last weapon, the assault rifle that would attach itself to my back, before adding, “But I’m not going to say I’m not glad to be alive. I live for this shit now.”

He patted my shoulder. “Glad to have you back, Shepard.”

“Thanks. Now, that conversation got a little deep. Let’s leave it there and go kill some evil things.”

“Sounds like a plan!”

The _Normandy_ was soon in orbit of Horizon, the entire team boarding the shuttle and we were soon heading towards one of the main colonies. Checking the vidscreens, it looked like the sort of colony world that humanity had settled as it spread across the galaxy. Temperate climate. Plenty of farmland. Fresh water. Pretty much Earth but either on a slightly smaller or grander scale.

Touching down on the surface, I opened the door and stepped out, immediately noticing the Collector ship in the distance. Even from as far away as we were, it was enormous. Once the shuttle was empty, it immediately took off, and soon there was near silence. Apart from the sound of a few insects around us, it appeared to be relatively peaceful.

Taking the shotgun from my back, I gestured and we moved forward. Mordin certainly received questions about the countermeasure as we marched, and his responses were rather honest. He’d done tests but without contact with the seeker swarms, he had no idea if it would actually work. All his work was based on a theory. He seemed excited at the prospect of a live action test. The rest of the team… not so much.

Ahead lay a series of portable units, the sort that made up most colonies until more permanent fixtures were designed and built. Many colony worlds focused on agriculture, farming and producing crops for the expansion of humanity. Many would have called in an empire. In many ways, it was. But as the focus was on farming, there was mining but it was limited in scope, and focused more on the sort of metals required for the military than for civilian use.

Our first contact with the Collectors took place a few minutes later. It was the first time we got a good look at them. Ugly looking bastard. Almost like some sort of giant insect. Their weapons were definitely of a different technology, almost like beam weapons rather than firing bullets. No-one needed instruction from me as I immediately set about causing carnage, charging at the nearest Collector, slamming into it then firing, before doing the same again, this time into two of them, knocking one back, shooting the other in the head, before shooting the one on the ground.

I could hear the thump of other biotic attacks, turning to see three Collectors flying into the air, a shockwave from Jack before Miranda launched a warp into one, and Garrus timed a shot with the other. We continued moving forward, firing as we moved, most of them trying to keep up as I continued to charge. I knew there’d be plenty of Collectors ready for us to kill, and the last thing I wanted was for us to get bogged down in a pitched battle. Our numbers were still smaller than them, so we speed of movement was key, hopefully keeping them off balance.

When we ran into our first group of husks, that was all the confirmation I needed that the Collectors were agents of the Reapers. Saren was dead. The geth were not present. So how else would husks show up on Horizon? Garrus echoed his thoughts over the comm, as he was at our rear but likely finding elevation. No-one else has seen a husk before, so when we had a moment of silence, we gathered around the body of one.

“Was it human before?” Zaeed asked.

“Yeah, we ran into plenty of them before I died. Reaper technology. Very little left that would be considered human.” I glanced at Mordin. “Need samples or…”

“No. Read mission reports. Saren. Sovereign. Matriarch Benezia. Indoctrination. Best we don’t mess it, Shepard.”

“And the Collectors?”

“Will grab samples when I can, Shepard. Protection and survival of colony priority.”

We moved on. We checked some units as we passed by, wondering if any of the colonists had managed to escape but no-one had been lucky enough so far. There were signs that, once again, they’d been taken completely by surprise. The Collectors continued moving forward, occasionally bringing out advance to a halt. I began to notice that some of them had an aura surrounding them, for want of a better word. I asked what that was. Miranda threw a warp at one and replied it was a biotic barrier.

That was good news, as I could just aim at them, destroy their barrier, then shoot them. Without needing to order again, the team figured out what to do. Collectors with biotic barriers were handled by the biotics. Collectors without the barrier were shot at by the others. And I just charged around the battlefield, causing carnage whenever I stopped. It was exhausting work, far more exhausting then my old tactics of fighting, as I rarely got this close to the enemy, preferring at least a little distance, but the adrenaline rush of getting up close and personal with my shotgun, blasting away the enemy at point blank range… I’ll admit, it was terribly exciting.

The town we were walking through was far larger than I expected. More Collectors came towards us, and in addition to those with biotic barriers, we also witnessed the arrival of a glowing Collector. In addition to that, it also spoke.

"_Preserve Shepard's body if possible."_

“Okay, you all heard that, right?”

“Of course, Shepard,” Miranda replied, with plenty of other people stating they had. I couldn’t help sigh with relief. “Why do you ask?”

“Because after the Council refusing to believe, I was even beginning to wonder, and I had a bad feeling I’d be the only one to understand them.”

“Nope, heard them loud and clear.”

"_Your attacks are primitive. I will show you true power."_

The voice was coming from the glowing one, so I charged straight at it, making it stagger as I threw a warp straight into its chest, following that up with a shotgun blast straight to the face. The glowing Collector turned into dust, immediately leaping into cover as I was suddenly taking fire from all directions. I was helped out by my biotic colleagues before I was able to move again.

The Collectors must have arrived in serious numbers, as by now they were barely letting up, fighting us for every inch of ground through the settlement. The Collectors seemed to have some brains as well, leading them into what would have been traps if we’d charged in blindly. They seemed to understand fields of fire, fighting retreats, and they certainly didn’t seem to give surrender a moment’s thought. We would have to kill every single one to make it to the centre of the settlement.

Another glowing Collector arrived and this said something that brought me to a halt.

"_You escaped us before, Shepard, not again."_

“Holy shit,” Garrus muttered through the team radio.

“You’re telling me,” I stated, “I’ve always wondered how a ship managed to find us so easily and was able to tear through our ship like wet tissue paper.”

“They must have been hunting you ever since you killed Saren,” Miranda suggested.

“Oh, they’ve just made this very personal,” I growled, “I lost good men and woman on that ship.” I looked for the glowing Collector. Soon as I saw it, I charged and pretty much emptied a heat sink as I blew it away. Slapping in a new one, I then charged again, only going for head shots as I released some rage. Once the gunfire quieted for a moment, I glanced back to see a field full of dead Collectors, gesturing for the team to close up as we moved on.

Still looking for survivors, we ended up outside what looked like a warehouse or some sort of plant, perhaps providing water or energy. The door was locked, so I was hopeful we might find survivors, people who had information. It was beyond my understanding so Garrus stepped forward to unlock the door. We entered with guns raised, and when we heard someone drop a tool on concrete, we ordered whoever it was out otherwise we’d start firing. An obviously frightened middle-age man stepped from cover, arms held aloft, though he visibly relaxed seeing us.

"Humans? What are you doing here? You'll lead them right here!"

“No, I don’t think so, considering the piles of bodies we just left out there. You can go check if you want.” He shook his head so I asked, “What are you doing in here? How did you escape?”

"I'm just a mechanic. We've had all manner of communication problems recently. That's…" The man cleared his throat, avoiding eye contact with me and everyone else. "That's when I heard the screaming."

"So what did you do?" I asked in a tone even a stranger would recognise. I sensed one or two others tense up, knowing the answer before we heard it.

"I looked outside and there were… bugs. Swarms of them. Everywhere. And everyone they touched…." The man shook his head. "They just… froze. So… I sealed the doors."

I took the pistol from its holster, bumping it against my thigh. “That’s your excuse. You didn’t try to help anyone? You left friends, families, fellow colonists to be taken?”

"What could I do? The bugs were coming. I couldn't do anything to help." Perhaps he had a point. We had a countermeasure, but he came across as nothing but a coward, looking out for number one, and anyone else can be sacrificed. "It's all the Alliance's fault anyway!" the mechanic continued, now finding some courage, even defiance, "If they hadn't built those defence towers and sent that Chief Williams here, we'd have been off the radar and been left alone. Instead, it made us a target for those… things."

“Where’s Operations Chief Williams?” I asked.

“No idea. I haven’t seen her or anyone since they arrived.”

I sighed, as he clearly had no information, and I already felt a healthy dose of dislike. Before he could react, I strode forward, pushing him back towards the wall, placing the barrel of his pistol under his neck. “Shepard?” Garrus asked.

“Do you know what they did to cowards during the Great War?” I asked. The man shook his head. “Cowards were shot. Thousands, millions were almost forced to charge across no man’s land to die for no reason. This time, there was a chance to prove your worth as a man, as a human, but instead you hid behind a locked door.” I pushed the barrel even harder, almost lifting himself from the ground. “Now hundreds if not thousands have been taken. Who knows, you may have been able to save one, two, ten, even more, kept them all safe until our arrival. They would have had information to tell us, we would have learned more about our enemy. Now we’ll never know, because you didn’t have the guts to take a stand when the opportunity presented itself.”

“I’m a nobody,” he grunted as he struggled against my hold.

“You are, but you could have proven to be a somebody. But…” I took the barrel from underneath his chin, instead grabbing him by the neck with my other hand, “You aren’t even worth the bullet. No, I’m going to let you live with the guilt that you did nothing when they arrived. The dead of this planet? Let them rest on your conscience for a little while. See how it feels to be responsible.”

He looked down at the ground, unable to meet my eyes. I placed my pistol back in it holster, turned around and marched towards the door, taking the shotgun from its place on my back. I sensed everyone follow me quietly, the door closing behind us, hearing it click locked a few seconds later. We moved on without a word, the team realising I was now beyond pissed off, and it certainly showed, as I’m sure they probably felt sympathy for the next Collectors we met, nearly killing them alone, charging left and right around the settlement. We ran into new Collector monsters, what looked like a fusion of husks. Tougher to take down, but they died the same as all the others. Mordin checked over the new creatures. He didn’t take samples, being Reaper tech, but he was able to provide insight into what they were made of.

Asking where we were, Miranda replied to state we were nearing the middle of the settlement, and if she was proven correct, there was a transmitter right in the middle that would enable us to fire the cannon defences. “Why can’t EDI just do it now?”

“_I have tried but am blocked, Shepard. The Collector ship is interfering with all planetary systems and preventing a hard connection from the Normandy_.”

“Should have known,” I muttered under my breath.

We fought our way forward, the number of Collectors being killed thinning, left wondering if they were pulling back for one final onslaught, or they were leading us into one hell of a trap. Passing through a closed door, we entered an enormous open field, and in the middle was the lone transmitter. The Collector ship was so close we could have touched it. What I noticed was that it was quiet. We’d fought the entire way here, and now not a sound. “Stay loose,” I ordered quietly, “Those fuckers are somewhere.”

Making our way to the transmitter, I had to choose someone. “Miranda, reckon you can do it?”

“I’ll do my best, Shepard.”

“The rest of you, fan out and get ready. The Collectors won’t give up that easily.”

I was proven right within a couple of minutes as a horde of husks soon flooded forward. All we did was line up and open fire, mowing them down. I don’t think a single one got within ten feet of us. We had to switch around as they were soon coming from every direction, and that’s when I got to work charging and blasting my shotgun, Jack launching shockwave after shockwave, and the rest doing what they did best. When the Collectors joined in, that was the first time I was concerned. There was little cover. The bigger husks also turned up, and the glowing Collector seemed more powerful than anything, so whenever it appeared, I handled it immediately, sometimes taking a whack for my troubles, nothing that medi-gel couldn’t handle.

Miranda eventually yelled out that she’d done as much as possible. EDI was soon in my ear, the AI stating it could connect but it would take time to calibrate the software. I gave Garrus a sideways glance before suggesting EDI just crack on and we’ll protect the transmitter until the guns were ready to fire.

The next ten to twenty minutes was some of the hardest fighting any of us had done since the commencement of this mission, and definitely some of the hardest since I’d faced down Saren and his geth. The Collectors threw everything, even the proverbial kitchen sink at us. As Miranda could now help out, the biotics linked up their attacks, even Jack proving co-operative with her fellow biotics. I charged around where I could, but I was soon so exhausted, I had to stop and simply find cover, take out my assault rifle, and just open fire when anything was in my sights.

Then another new construct showed up and this thing was an absolute bitch to take down. No idea what it was, but the beam it fired seemed to tear anything it touched apart. So all the biotics linked up and warped that motherfucker as much as we could. It was slow, laborious work, and with the Collectors also firing, we started to take wounds, though no-one stopped firing until they were physically incapable. Mordin proved to have a trick or two, proving his speed as he moved around the battlefield, using his omni-tool to incinerate the enemy with a shot of flame. Kasumi would disappear and reappear behind a Collector, shoot it in the back of the head, before cloaking again, looking for her next victim. Jack strode around the battlefield without a care in the world, launching biotics everywhere. The level of destruction, at least of the Collector forces was immense.

Once we killed the massive floating energy thing, the Collectors seemed to back off immediately. Within seconds, there was a new sound, all of us turning towards the Collector ship. We could see smoke and then flame as the engines of the ship roared, the ship ever so slowly starting to rise into the sky and atmosphere above us.

We heard a voice behind us, turning to see the man we’d met earlier run past us. "Stop them! Why aren't you trying to stop them?!"

I ignored him as I knew we’d failed in our mission to save the colonists. God knows how many they’d taken, but we’d seen no survivors so could only assume the whole lot had been taken. We’d have to search later but, for now, we could only watch helplessly as the Collector ship eventually disappeared from view.

“What now, Shepard?” Miranda asked. It was a bloody good question, to be honest.

“Wait! Shepard? I know that name," the man stated, turning to look at me, “Yeah, I remember. Some sort of Alliance hero."

“Not just any hero. You’re talking to Commander John Shepard. Captain of the SSV Normandy. Hero of Elysium. The first human Spectre. Saviour of the Citadel. You're in the presence of a god, Delan. Or a ghost." The voice stopped. "Back from the dead."

I turned to see Operations Chief Ashley Williams walk towards me. She looked good. Fit. Healthy. Very much a leader and a woman in charge. I was pleased for her. She… did not look pleased to see me. In fact, any hope I had of a happy reunion disappeared as soon as my eyes met hers. She was displeased, and that was putting it mildly.

"All the good people we lost and you get left behind. Figures," Delan stated.

That was aimed at Ashley, not at any of us. I had no idea what was pissing Ashley off, but I certainly didn’t appreciate the disrespect, walking over and grabbing his colour. “I would seriously consider fucking off right now, Delan. She is an Alliance soldier and worthy of your fucking respect.” I turned and pushed him away, watching him stagger back until he landed on his arse. “Consider yourself fortunate that I don’t execute somewhat innocent civilians. But I would seriously consider making yourself scarce right about now.”

He got up and brushed himself down before waving a hand of dismissal in our direction. "Ah, none of you are worth it anyway. Typical bloody Alliance. Ruining everything."

I turned back to Ashley, and her eyes were definitely taking in all those who were with me. And I knew it looked bad in her eyes. I wore jet black armour with no marking. Two people were clearly Cerberus. Then I had a young woman covered in tattoos, an aging mercenary, a Japanese thief, Mordin and Garrus, the only one she’d recognise. "So the rumours are true, Shepard? You're alive?" Her eyes definitely fell upon Miranda and she couldn’t hide her thoughts. “And with Cerberus.”

“That’s the greeting I get, Ash. After two years, I don’t get a question of how I am or what I’ve been doing?”

“I’m sure you’ve already told Anderson all about that, Shepard.” She then looked at Garrus. “And I never would have thought a turian would helped an organisation like Cerberus.” She looked back at me. “But I guess it’s easy to mis-judge people.”

I took a couple of steps forward, watching her posture turn defensive. “Ash, seriously, what do you think I’m doing here?”

“I was sent here to protect the colony, Shepard. I was also sent here because we heard rumours that you had somehow returned from the dead. Worst still, you had returned from the dead and were now working with Cerberus. I was sent here to protect this colony from them, and it seems also you as well.”

“I’m not working with Cerberus.”

“Well then why are you standing in this field with two Cerberus operatives?”

“Can we not talk about this in private?”

“No, I have to report this issue to my superiors. I’m lucky to have survived what just happened and I need to count how many were not taken. So we can talk now, then you can do what you want.”

“Fine. You want the truth? I was _dead_, Ashley. Dead as can be. I was told how long the Alliance searched for me. You know how long? A week. First human Spectre. All the shit I’ve done for humanity, and I get a paltry week to even find my body for burial. The Council? Nothing. I got nothing from them after all I did. So I was dead for two years, or as dead as you can be when considering the dark vacuum of space.

I don’t know how it happened, but I ended up on a Cerberus experiment table and they spent a lot of time and money putting me back together. I think I’m half cybernetic now, but I have a heart and brain, so I guess I’m still counted as human. Then I learn of the Collectors. The Council? Useless as always. The Alliance? No fucking idea, but I spoke to Anderson, and I’d end up being interrogated for six months before even being allowed out to do god only knows what. Cerberus are giving me the tools and resources to fight now, no questions asked.”

“So who is your loyalty to now?”

“Humanity. I’m not sure how much plainer I can put it, Ash. I’m not with Cerberus.”

“But you are taking their credits, flying their ship, you have their personnel at your side. Pretty convenient for you to deny you are working for them.”

“Not for. At most, with them. I consider myself unaffiliated. Hell, call me a mercenary if you want. I’m fighting and taking payment for it.” I paused and took another couple of steps forward. “Come with me, Ash,” I said quietly, “I need my friends with me for this.”

“Friend? Am I still one after everything? You haven’t even tried to reach out.”

“I’ve been rather busy and… I honestly didn’t know how you’d react. Like this, to be honest.”

“I’m an Alliance soldier, Shepard. I’d never work for Cerberus, never work alongside their operatives nor fly in a ship with their colours.” Then she took a step forward. Then another one until we were only a pace or two apart. “Shepard, I’ve missed you every day. I hate everything about this. You promise you’re not with Cerberus?”

I held up two fingers. “Scout’s honour.”

That made her smile. “You were never a scout. I know your history.”

“Ash, I’m making the best of a bad situation here. What I’m doing is important and it’s obvious the Alliance are clueless. I know you despise Cerberus. You know I’m not their biggest fan. But this is important. I’m doing what needs to be done like always.”

She met my eyes and I was almost pleading with her with mine to believe me. She took a deep breath. “I’ll need to report this, Shepard. I can’t sweep the fact you arrived under the rug. There’s no way I managed to kill all those Collectors by myself. I can’t come with you, Shepard. Not this time. Not while you’re with them.”

“I understand.”

“Do you?”

“You bleed blue, Ash. Born Alliance soldier if ever I’ve met one.” I glanced back. “Miranda, call in the shuttle. Have it meet us nearby. Can you give us a few seconds otherwise?”

“Sure thing, Shepard,” she replied, gesturing for the others to follow.

Once we had proper privacy, I took another step forward. “I’ve missed you, Ash,” I whispered.

“You fucked her yet?” she asked, the tone of jealousy easy to hear.

“Miranda? No, I haven’t.”

“Do you?”

“Ash,” I warned.

“Do you still…”

“Yes. You were one of the first thoughts I had when I woke up.”

“I want to believe you, Shepard. I really do. But I’ve read the news. Heard the stories. And now seeing you here with them… It feels like a betrayal to everything we fought for.”

“But do you _understand_?” She met my eyes again and made me wait before nodding. Only once, but it was enough. “Thank you.”

“I missed you too, Shepard, just so you know. Your funeral… One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. Knowing the casket was empty… It all went to shit once you were gone. Team was split up. Non-humans were sent home. No idea what happened to most of them.”

“So you and Tali?”

“We ended it. It was for the best. She’s probably back with the Fleet now.”

“She is. I ran into her on Freedom’s Progress. She knows I’m back at least. Asked her to join me, gave me the same answer as you.”

I noticed the shuttle appear over the horizon so I knew I was going to have to end this soon. “Can I hug you at least?” I asked, feeling a little pathetic about asking for it.

She hugged me straight away, holding me tight as I did the same with her. “Just come home safe whenever you’re done.”

“Of course. I’ll be cutting links as soon as the Collector threat is ended.”

“Okay. Until then, I’m going to keep my distance. I’ll be for the best.”

“I understand.” I leaned back and she met my eyes. A slight smile appeared as I caressed her face. I wanted to kiss her, but I wasn’t sure how that would go down. “Stay safe, Ash.”

“You too, Shepard. Despite that lot, it’s good to have you back.”

“Good to be back.”

I let her go and walked past her towards the shuttle, glancing back to see her turn and watch me walk away. Boarding the shuttle, I stood in the doorway as it started to lift up and raised a hand. She waved back at least, so while it could have gone better, the reunion could have gone a whole lot worse at the same time. Shutting the door, I took a seat next to Garrus, a bottle of water passed down the line so I could quench my thirst. It remained quiet until we were back on the _Normandy._

Walking towards the elevator, I ordered Joker take us out of the system in the direction of Omega. I’d make my mind up what we’d do next on the way. Nearly everyone was exhausted as we’d been fighting for hours, so I told everyone to go chill out, we’d meet for dinner then drown our sorrows in the lounge afterwards. The first thing I did back in my cabin was taken a shower, only now realising I was bleeding from more than one wound, watching the blood wash down the drain as I leaned forward, both hands against the wall, feeling the exhaustion sweep over me. Being a vanguard was hard bloody work.

I could have done with a nap but I dried and dressed, heading down to the CIC. Kelly noticed me arrive and knew not to ask any question, I guess my face providing answer. But she disappeared and returned a couple of minutes later with a coffee. I turned and hugged her tight as thanks. “Here if you need me, Shepard,” she whispered before she headed back to her own workstation.

I kept my mind occupied until it was time for dinner, heading down to the mess with everyone else. The mood was sombre compared to earlier. We’d already received reports that there were survivors from Horizon but the majority of colonists had been taken. For the moment, our presence hadn’t been reported but I knew it would leak eventually. God knows what the outcome of that would be, particularly if my name was inextricably linked to Cerberus.

After dinner, most of us needed a drink or two to wind down. I had a feeling quite a few wanted to get plastered and just forget about the day but everyone behaved themselves. I chatted quietly with nearly everyone, generally avoiding the topic of Horizon, feeling that would be a topic better discussed at a later date when emotions were not so raw. I wasn’t sure about anyone else but I sure felt like a failure, and never more helpless when watching the Collector ship disappear into the skies above Horizon.

Even Kelly realised that I just wanted some alone time with my thoughts, kissing my cheek before she disappeared to bed, leaving me alone in the lounge. Heading out of the lounge, I stepped straight into the elevator, my finger hovering over the button for my cabin, instead lowering and pressing the button for engineering. Stepping out into the corridor, I rounded the corner into engineering itself, Gabby and Ken having disappear for the evening, a pair of engineer I didn’t know well taking the graveyard shift. I headed downstairs to where Jack called home. She was relaxing on her cot, though was instantly wary when seeing me.

“The fuck do you want?” she asked, nothing but hostility in her tone.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Jack, I was actually coming down here to converse with you.”

She immediately stood up, facing me like she wanted to fight. “Why the fuck would I want to talk to you? I did what you wanted today. Doesn’t make us friends.”

“I was actually going to compliment you on your performance, Jack. You worked well as part of a team.”

She laughed at me, no doubt intending to mock me. “I was killing things, Shepard, that’s what I enjoyed. Like I give a fuck if I’m part of your team or not.”

I stepped forward a couple of paces. “What the fuck is your problem?” I growled, “I get you off Purgatory, I give you the information you want, I get you off the ship so you can go do what you do best, and all I get is hostility.”

“What do you want, a thank you card?”

“I want you to stop acting like a childish little cunt and grow up.”

She summoned her biotics and pushed me back. It wasn’t a full attack but her intention was clear. I cracked my knuckles and glared at her. “You haven’t got the balls, Shepard,” she grunted in return, her eyes and face nothing but feral.

“I warned you before, Jack.”

“What are you going to do, boy scout?”

I strode towards her, waiting for her to attack. For a moment, she looked unsure, before she summoned her biotics again. That’s when I smirked and formed a barrier, the smirk turning into a smile as I moved much faster than she expected, basically tackling her as we collapsed to the ground, my hand around her neck. “What the fuck is your problem?” I yelled into her face. She squirmed under my grip, summoning her biotics, so I squeezed even harder. “You dare,” I growled, “And I will make sure your last moments in the galaxy are one of pain.”

“Pussy,” she groaned. So I squeezed until she was definitely struggling to breath. Only when I knew I was about to cross the line did I relent. Both of us were breathing hard and that when I realised something about myself.

I was absolutely rock fucking hard. And she’d definitely it too. I definitely felt a grin form as I used my free hand to trail down her body and underneath her pants, her eyes watching mine as I slid them under the band of her trousers, then her underwear, and when I felt her pussy was soaking wet, my eyes questioned hers. So I slid a couple of fingers inside her and she gasped, immediately moving down to meet them. _Holy shit, she’s getting off on fighting me? Is that what all this is about?_

Removing my fingers and hand out of her pants, I lifted myself up, taking her with me as I heaved her onto a nearby bench, practically ripping her trousers down to reveal her bald pussy which glistened in the low light. Unbuckling my belt, she watch me with mothing but hunger now on her face as I lowered my jeans and underwear, revealing my cock to her. “Fuck yes,” she groaned.

Stepping forward, I pulled her towards me, lining up my cock and sliding it inside her in one movement, earning a grunt as I wasn’t gently. She helped me take off my shirt as I immediately started to pound her, holding her legs wide as I really thrust into her hard. “Fuck yes, Shepard,” she moaned.

I leaned forward, feigning to kiss her before I leaned down to her neck and simply bit her. She yelped at that but her hands immediately went to my back, feeling her dig her nails in on purpose, feeling her heels on my lower back as I really started to thrust into her harder. “Don’t stop,” she groaned.

I moved my mouth to the other side of her neck, biting there too before I leaned back to look at my work. The look in her eyes was something else entirely. I had a feeling this was exactly the reaction she wanted from me. Maybe she’d wanted it that morning by trying to provoke me. Wrapping a hand around each thigh. I upped my tempo further until she was crying out and I gave her no warning when I was about to cum, just burying myself over and over again until I finally erupted.

She laid back awkwardly on her elbows, her tattooed skin glistening with sweat as I pulled back, watching cum immediately start to leak from her pussy. I lifted my underwear and trousers, making sure they were done up, before I found my shirt and put that on. Jack looked at me quizzically, no doubt wondering about her. I stood before her and just looked at her. “Are you not going to get me off?”

“Don’t be such a cunt next time and I’ll think about it.”

“Fuck you.”

I shrugged. “I think you got what you wanted, Jack. You want to get off? Finish the job I started.” I stepped forward, looming over her. “You ever think of attacking me again, I will end you in an instant. I get it, you think you’re a psycho. You’re evil incarnate. Blah, blah, blah. I’m not putting up with that shit. I will meet fire with fire if necessary. I’d give what you do in the coming days and weeks some serious thought. I’m not going to treat you with kid gloves, claim you’re just misunderstood and all that bollocks, unless I am given evidence to back up that fact.” I did run my hand down from her face all the way down to her pussy, giving her clit a gentle rub, earning a reaction. “You’ve got a great body though. Tight pussy. You’re a good fuck, Jack. Definitely didn’t expect that tonight.”

And with those words, I turned and headed away, not even bothering to look back. Only when I entered the elevator did I lean back against the side and wonder what the fuck just happened. I headed for another shower, not because I felt dirty, but I had been sweating, and it gave me more time to ponder. I have no doubt she’d react poorly to what happened, though perhaps there was a chance I could fuck her again. No-one recently, meaning back on the old _Normandy_ nor anyone such as Emily or Gianna, had shown any sort of inclination or interest in the sort of sex I’d just had with Jack. It wasn’t anything I was interested in… but I did find myself liking it.

If anyone knew what happened, they certainly didn’t mention anything the next morning at breakfast. It was still fairly quiet, no doubt thoughts still about the previous day. Kelly sat next to me as Miranda wandered out, offering some more datapads, stating she had received more information regarding recruitment. To my surprise, Jack appeared and you could have heard a pin drop as she grabbed a tray, got herself some food, then sat down at a table by herself, but at the end of the row of people. I received more than one surprised look but I simply shrugged my shoulders. Maybe last night had finally knocked some sense into her.

But that was for later. As I glanced over the datapads, the last one made the fork I was about to put into my mouth stop halfway there. There was definitely a look on my face as Garrus had to ask, “What’s wrong, Shepard?”

“Son of a fucking bitch,” I stated, yelling the last word loudly, all eyes now on me.

“I take it’s not good news?”

“No, it’s good news, but I bet the fucking arsehole has known the entire time.” I glanced down the tables, looking for my pilot. “Joker, once you’re back in your seat, I want you to take us towards a new destination that isn’t Omega.”

“Can do, Commander. I’ll just finish my breakfast then take us there straight away once you’ve put it in the galaxy map.”

“What is it? And where?” Garrus wondered.

“Liara. He knows where Liara is. The same planet as our next recruits. Illium.”


	27. Book 2, Chapter 8 - Reunions

I’d torn strips off the Illusive Man after demanding Miranda put me in contact with him. She relented quite easily as she could see how pissed off I was. I think she may have even sympathised with me as she would have known about my relationship with Liara, not just the physical side either. She’d been a bloody good friend and had provided numerous theories to prove the Reaper hypothesis true. The fact he’d hidden her from me told me everything I needed to know about his motives. He didn’t trust those who’d been with me originally. I was convinced he didn’t know Garrus was Archangel otherwise he’d never have sent me to find him.

After I’d said my piece, I cut the line just like I used to do with the Council. Sensing I was rather pissed off about thing still, Kelly grabbed me by the hand and led me upstairs, where she led me to the middle of my cabin, dropped to her knees as she pulled down my trousers, then proceeded to give me a rather excellent blowjob, and made sure I blasted all over her face again. Once I was done, she kept blowing me even though I slowly softened before she looked up and said, “I know you fucked Jack the other night.”

I wasn’t totally with it after an orgasm so I just shrugged. “She was a good fuck. Gave it to her nice and hard,” I admitted.

“You know that’s all she’ll expect now, for you to basically use her.”

“And?”

“You don’t care?”

“I do, but I’m not here to mould people or anything, Kelly. I’m here to do the job and get it done right. And I don’t have time for her antics. I didn’t put up with bullshit while in the Alliance and I won’t put up with it here.”

She stood up and stripped herself off before she sat back on the bed, resting on her elbows and spreading her legs. “I would hope you would at least look after me, Shepard.”

I devoured her pussy like a thirsty man finding an oasis of ice cold water after wandering the desert for months. I always complimented her on how good she tasted, which certainly made her smile, and when I got somewhat vulgar about it, made her blush. I didn’t tease her this time. I went in hard and fast, eager to make her cum as quickly as possible, because once she did, I stripped off the rest of my clothes, hopped on the bed as she moved back enough that I could join her, then we fucked.

Twenty minutes later, we were lying on our backs together, breathing deeply. “Well…” I stated.

“I needed that, Shepard. I needed you to eat me out then just fuck me.”

“Guess it has been a few days.”

She rolled onto her side, cuddling into me. “Don’t fret, I know the score, Shepard. One, you have been busy lately. Two, you will be distracted by others. Three, I can look after myself if things get really bad. I’ll just use my fingers and think about you.”

“I’m not sure what it is but a woman masturbating is erotic as hell.”

“Maybe I’ll record me doing it and send it to you?”

“Just not when I’m on mission. I like being distracted just not when I’m being shot at.”

“Maybe when you’re standing next to me near the galaxy map?”

“Then I’d just stride over and fuck you then and there.” I paused and chuckled. “Well, I’m sure some of the crew probably expect it now. Not like this is a secret.” I pulled her closer and kissed her. “Glad it’s not anymore.”

She liked the sound of that giving me a squeeze once she wrapped an arm around my chest.

It took over two days to reach the system in which Illium lay. During that time, I spent a lot of time in the gym continuing to work on my fitness, practicing my biotic skills with Jacob and Miranda, and it was only then that Jack finally started to act like part of the team, as she’d come join in, particularly when Miranda and I were training, and I knew it was so she could show off in front of Miranda. The enmity between them was obvious to everyone, but as long as it didn’t come to blows, I wasn’t going to involve myself. Competition wasn’t a bad thing as long as it remained healthy. Jack also appeared at meal times, or at least for breakfast and dinner. She kept to herself each time but the threats must have worked. She didn’t talk to me at all, and I didn’t go down and talk to her either. But she was meeting me halfway at least, so I had no reason to complain.

The night before we arrived on Illium, I was at my desk in my office when Miranda got in contact with me over the comm system. I was surprised hear from her that the Illusive Man wanted to talk to me again. “What the fuck does he want now?”

_“He apparently has more information regarding our visit to Illium and any possible reunion with Liara T’Soni.”_

“Why do I have a feeling I’m still nothing but a pawn on his chess board?”

_“Maybe he has information that could be vital to this mission, Shepard. He does want us to succeed.”_

“Yeah, I do sometimes wonder about that though,” I muttered, “Okay, I’ll head downstairs now.”

I was rather comfortable this late in the evening so had to change into something decent, including throwing on shoes, before I headed downstairs. Kelly had disappeared, so assumed she was either in one of the lounges or the crew quarters. I hadn’t told her I didn’t want her company that evening, but I had been distracted most of the day about our impending arrival. She’d learned quite quickly when I needed time to myself.

After keying the code and standing where required, the Illusive Man appeared again. This time he was standing, and I had a feeling this meeting would be brief. _Good. Hate talking to this cunt anyway. Still haven’t thought of a nickname for him. There are one or two obvious names but I need something with added spice._

“Shepard, I have further information in regards to your arrival on Illium. No doubt you are heading there due to the two dossiers I have sent you and also in regards to any contact you may wish with Liara T’Soni.”

“Okay, I’ll bite. What do you have?”

"Are you aware of her links with the Shadow Broker?

“What? What links? Liara’s an archaeologist. I don’t even know what the hell she’s doing on Illium!”

“Things changed in the two years you were gone, Shepard. People moved on, changed careers, as you obviously witnessed with Archangel. No, Liara is no longer that innocent archaeologist you met three years ago.”

“Okay, so what’s her story with the Shadow Broker? Is she working for him?”

"No. Liara isn't working for the Shadow Broker. She's trying to find him."

“What the hell for?”

“You wouldn’t be aware of the new direction Liara has taken with her life. I’m sure you’ll be fascinated to know what she’s been up to since you last saw each other. I’m also sure that she knows of your return. She has tried to reach out to you. We have intercepted those messages until recently.”

I felt my fists balls immediately. “Listen, you jumped up son of a…”

“It was for your own benefit, Shepard. I cannot afford to have you distracted chasing after your old friends nor trying to engage in sexual relations with every woman you happen to meet.”

“I assume that is in reference to someone on this ship?”

“Give me some credit, Shepard. Miranda reported it as soon as Kelly spent her first night in your room. But I care little as to what Miss Chambers does during her off duty hours. But I knew you’d run off on some little crusade to ‘rescue’ Liara should she contact you.”

“That’s not your decision.”

“Yes, it is. That’s my ship. I spent billions bringing you back. The credits you are spending come from me. The people you are recruiting come from information I collated. I won’t say I own you, Shepard, but you owe me. I don’t expect your undivided loyalty but I do expect you to do the job I demand for the moment.”

“Suddenly, all I want to do is channel Jack and tell you to fuck off.”

“You can say what you want, Shepard. We both know the deal here. So, I’m aware you’ll be arriving on Illium soon enough. Make contact with Liara and see what her dealings are with the Shadow Broker. If I deem it necessary, I will contact you again or I will feed information to Miranda for her to liaise with you.”

“Anything else?”

“No. That will be all for now, Shepard.”

I said nothing, simply turning and stepping off the pad as the lights switched on. Every time I finished talking with him, I was left in a bad mood. Heading towards the elevator, my finger hovered over the button for my cabin, before I moved it down to the mess level. It hovered there a moment before I pressed the button below that one.

Stepping out, I rounded the corner and walked down the stairs. Standing at the end of the walkway, Jack raised her head and looked in my direction as I simply glared at her. The smirk that appeared on her face suggested she knew what I was there for. I strode towards her as she stood up, balling her fists. She eventually surged towards me, and I gave her one hell of an almighty backhander. That just made her snarl as she practically leapt at me, surprised she wasn’t using her biotics, trying to use her strength. It was never going to work, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t putting everything into it. Her face as close as it was to mine, I took a chance as kissed her hard. It surprised her for only a moment before she replied in kind, her tongue immediately requesting entrance as I led her to the bench nearby, lifting her up and placing her down, hands immediately reaching for trousers, breaking apart for a moment to rip off my shirts. I helped take off her boots as I took mine off, before trousers and underwear joined them so we were both now naked, lips crashing together again as I blindly lined up my cock and thrust inside her.

“Fuck yes,” she moaned. She shuffled forward as I just pumped into her hard and fast, noticing she kept her legs spread nice and wide. “Fuck yes,” she moaned again, “Deeper.” Grabbing the back of her neck, I kept her still as I really drove into her. “Faster,” she cried quietly.

“Fucking hell,” I muttered.

“Come on, you pussy. Call this fucking?” I glared at her and she simply smirked. “That’s right, boy scout. You think I don’t know you get off on this too? Knew you’d come back looking for more.” I kissed her again and smirked as I drove into her as hard as possible, making her grunt as she dug her fingers into my back, now moving her legs so they rested loosely around me. “Like that, Shepard. Holy fuck, just like that.”

“Love my cock, don’t you?”

“Just give it to me and shut the fuck up.” I eventually broke the kiss and just looked down as I pumped into her hard and fast, my cock looking like a piston, I grabbed her neck by my left hand as I licked the thumb on my right and lowered it, eventually finding her clit and gently rubbing it. She almost leapt off the bench when I touched her. “Please,” she pleaded.

“Oh, now you’re going to beg are you?”

She nodded. “Yes,” she hissed.

I kept the same tempo, not being gentle at all, but I was gentle when playing with her clit, as it was obvious she was completely turned on and also desperate to cum. Unlike the first time, I came down to fuck but to also have a good time, and it wasn’t just about me. I figured we could hate fuck each other if that’s what she really wanted in the end. I certainly wasn’t after a relationship. Casual, no holds barred sex was on offer, I was going to take it.

“Keep going,” she breathed, “Don’t stop.”

“Going to cum for me, Jack?”

“God yes. Holy fuck, Shepard.”

I couldn’t help smirk. Make a woman orgasm and her demeanour suddenly changes rather quickly. I didn’t relent fucking her nor playing with her clit until she did orgasm, her already tight pussy really clenching as she came, arms and legs both wrapping around me as she cried out with pleasure. I kept right on fucking her even as she calmed down, and only then did she let go of me slightly, resting her hands on my shoulders as I continued. “God yes, destroy this pussy,” she cried.

I didn’t reply, simply leaning forward to kiss her again, no surprise she really bit my lip this time, enough to draw blood that I could taste. I gave her a gentle slap for that. “Easy,” I warned before kissing her again.

Though I was holding back my orgasm, I couldn’t hold it back forever and once I knew I was about to cum, I waited until the very last moment before pulling out and spraying all over her stomach and tits, leaving long white streaks of cum everywhere. She cried out something, not that I really paid attention, as the relief of finally releasing nearly overwhelmed me. After a series of deep breaths, I finally looked down and noticed the mess I’d made on her. “What the fuck did you do that for?” she asked.

“Marking my territory.”

“Should have just cum in my pussy, idiot.”

“Next time.” I leaned down and kissed her, lifting her into a seated position so I could whisper into her ear, “Though maybe next time, I’ll take your arse instead.” I wasn’t that big a fan of anal, but I had a feeling…

“I’d like to see you try.”

I met her eyes. I enjoyed the defiance in them, but there was an added edge that she liked the idea. “Don’t worry, Jack, I’m not a completely callous bastard. I’d bring some lube at least.”

The moment was passed though now that we’d both cum. I grabbed the pile of clothing nearby, handing over her clothes as I dressed myself. All she did was grab a nearby rag to wipe off the cum before she threw on her trousers, not even bothering to cover her tits with the thin strapping she used otherwise. Once I was dressed, she was already sitting back on her cot. “What the fuck put you in a bad mood anyway?” she asked. The fact she even asked was a surprise. The fact she could read my mood was almost mind boggling.

“Illusive Man.”

“Yeah, well, he’s a cunt anyway. Read plenty of information already about what he’s been up to.”

Now she had my interest in a way that didn’t involve sex. I leaned back against the very bench we just fucked on as I asked, “What have you found?”

She looked ready to retort with sarcasm, but noticing my obvious interest, she swallowed down what she was going to originally say. “Nothing definitive yet. What I want to know is where I was… turned into this. Cerberus did this to me, Shepard. The way I am. I mean the biotics. It’s obviously not natural, right? I have all these memories, but it’s hard to pin them all together.”

“What do you hope to find?”

“The very facility. Then I’m going to hunt down the fuckers responsible. Each and every one. Then I’m going to toy with them for a little while, like they did with me, before I kill them.”

“Do you want my help?”

“You offering?”

“I am. And I’m being serious here, Jack. I can’t claim to know what happened to you, but I think we can both admit you’re a little fucked up.” I think my honesty helped because she actually laughed. “You’ve had a shit life, I can see that. If Cerberus is involved, I’ll certainly help however way I can.”

“Got your own axe to grind?”

“I’m here because of the Collectors. If it wasn’t for them, I’d be long gone.”

“I’ll be gone once I’ve fulfilled my obligation.”

“Like most of us, Jack. Like most of us.”

There would be no pleasantries. All I did was turn and head towards the stairs. “Hey, Shepard,” she called out. I stopped and turned back. “That was pretty fucking good.” I definitely smirked. “You want to do that shit again, just pop down. I love a good fuck as much as the next girl. And at least you know I’ll bite.” I definitely laughed as I simply turned and headed back upstairs towards the elevator.

I’m fairly sure that people knew the next morning as I arrived in the mess for breakfast. It didn’t exactly go quiet, but you get a sixth sense for when people are talking about you before walking into a room. I grabbed a tray and sat in my usual place, across from Garrus and next to Kelly. The conversations resumed but there was a slight atmosphere in the mess. It wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable, but there was something unsaid. It was only when Jack appeared a good fifteen minutes later that Garrus gave me a look that told me he knew.

“Yes, Garrus?”

“I’m not sure I should say in front of Kelly here, Shepard.”

“I don’t care, Garrus,” Kelly stated.

I shrugged as Garrus continue to look at me. Then he shrugged as well. “Guess it’s none of my business really. Are we close to Illium?”

“We’ll be there at lunchtime. We’ll dock and the crew can get some shore leave. Considering we’ll be recruiting at the same time, I have a feeling we’ll be there a little while.”

“And Liara?”

“She’ll be the first person I intend on visiting.”

I spent most of the time in the CIC. Kelly wasn’t awkward at all knowing what I was now up to with Jack, still bringing me a coffee every couple of hours, chatting away and acting like nothing had changed. Regarding our own affair, nothing had. I’d still love her to warm my bed quite often. The thing with Jack was purely physical, a different sort of release. I’m sure Kelly could probably analyse it and let me know what psychologists would call it.

The _Normandy_ docked around lunchtime Illium time. Once the docking bay arm was clamped, the crew quickly departed their stations, ready to depart the ship. Except for ground missions, everyone had been on ship constantly since Omega, so I could understand the desire for everyone to get off for a few hours and days. Having read that Illium was an asari colony world, I didn’t think I’d need armour just to visit Liara, so all I did was grab a pistol, putting that in the band of my trousers around the back as I walked up the gangway towards Joker.

“Will you be getting off the ship?” I asked.

“I’m tempted but there’s a chance I’ll end up signing something that’ll have me being someone’s slave.”

“What?”

“Illium practices something called ‘indentured servitude’, Commander. The planet is home to what is basically a slave trade.”

“And they get away with this?”

“Illium is an asari colony world but not part of the Asari Republics, so the rules are different.”

“How the hell do you know all this?”

EDI popped up nearby. “Lieutenant Moreau watches hours of pornography, Shepard. One of his favourite genres is bondage but he also enjoys other types of BDSM pornography. Illium is quite often the setting regarding the dominant and submissive relationships that take place due to slavery.”

I could only look at Joker wide eyed. “Yeah, thanks EDI,” he muttered.

Eventually, I could only laugh. “We all have our interests, Joker. Watch what you want, like what you want. Anyone who wants to judge? Fuck them.” I paused before asking, “Are the movies all asari?”

“Some of them. Others are men with asari.”

“Interesting. Are you a practitioner yourself?”

He laughed loudly at that so perhaps it was a stupid question. Eventually he did reply. “No, I just enjoy watching videos, Commander. It’s not even about sexual gratification. It’s actually interesting to watch the lead up before the sex. Some of it’s professional but a lot of it’s amateur, filmed by actual couples, so you can see it’s genuine.”

“Well, I have learned something new today, Joker. Thank you.”

“Yeah, let’s never mention this again.”

The crew were now coming towards us along the gangway and I pressed the button to open the airlock. I gave them a subtle warning about what to expect on Illium but to otherwise enjoy themselves, adding that I expected to be on the planet for a number of days, that Miranda had sent them their shift patterns while in dock, so while there were the usual expectations while on shift, they could otherwise come and go as they pleased. Many would like have booked last minute accommodation off the ship and many were wearing clothing without the Cerberus logo. So they had some brains, at least.

Garrus was hanging around as the rest of my ground team disappeared. Kasumi perhaps to go steal things. Zaeed to find a bar to drink beer and smoke. Mordin to… do whatever interested him. I was surprised Jack leave the ship, and she was wearing a shirt and jacket. She returned a small grin to my surprised glance before she wandered off.

“Well, I didn’t expect that,” Garrus muttered.

Last off the ship, except those who would remain on station, was Miranda. I probably looked even more surprised at her than at Jack. Her smile was genuine. “You’re right, Shepard. We have a few days here, and I’ll be honest, I need the break. Might find a comfy little bar and enjoy a girly drink, as you said.”

“Alone or with someone?”

“Kelly actually offered to meet up with me and a couple of the other girls on board are coming along.”

I couldn’t help smile. She was slowly but surely loosening up, which is all I wanted. I didn’t expect her to be everyone’s friend but the fact she was now forging relationships could only be a good thing. “Well, I’d suggest you go and enjoy yourself then.”

“And you’re going to meet Liara now?”

“Yeah. Garrus will join me. When I want to head off to find the first recruit, I’ll contact everyone, but it likely won’t be until tomorrow, so you can enjoy tonight off.”

As Miranda headed off, I headed to my terminal for a last minute check for new messages, grabbed my jacket and we headed out into the city of Nos Astra together. We’d barely stepped off the ship when a rather attractive asari walked towards us, hips shaking, a welcoming smile and a definite head turner. "Welcome to Nos Astra, Commander Shepard. We've been instructed to waive all docking and administration fees for your visit."

I glanced at Garrus. “Well, she obviously knows we’re here then.”

"My name is Careena. If you need information about the area, it would be my pleasure to assist you."

“I assume it was Liara who did this for me?”

“Correct, Commander. She has paid all docking fees on your behalf. Considering the vessel you currently fly, she also helped smooth your entry into the port of Nos Astra.”

“Yeah, I’ve had that problem already,” I muttered.

"She's been expecting you for some time, Commander," Careena continued, "She has asked that I direct you to speak with her at your earliest convenience. She's located near the trading floor."

“I understand she’s pursued a new career path, but as what?”

"Liara is one of Nos Astra's most respected information brokers. Nos Astra is based upon trade. Information is a valuable currency and commodity, and Liara has done quite well. She is looking forward to seeing you, Commander."

“Thanks, Careena. Visiting Liara was one of our main reasons for stopping here. We’ll head there straight away.”

“I’m sure she’s looking forward to your arrival, Commander. Have a good day.”

As she turned and walked away, I definitely watched her. Garrus laughed at me within seconds. “Spirits, Shepard, is it never on your mind?”

“I’m not thinking about fucking her, Garrus. Jesus Christ, give me some credit. Some women, asari or whatever, are just attractive and I take a moment to appreciate it. I’m not leering, I am merely having a quick look then moving on.”

Walking away from the docks onto the concourse of what seemed like a skyscraper, it was immediate that Nos Astra was awash in money. I’d never visited an asari world before and it was easy to notice their advanced society. It was also incredibly bright but surprisingly not very loud. And it was obvious that it was rich. Very rich. Anyone we walked by wore the latest design, wore the newest omni-tool, watch or some other techno gadget, and the jewellery on display probably costs millions of credits alone. Many would have been disgusted at the vulgar display of wealth. I just thought it made a place like Nos Astra a good place for Kasumi to go on the rob. _I’ll have to visit her when we leave, see if she had done any thieving on the side._

As we weaved our way through the crowds, amazed that people were performing business trades at simply kiosks, it was only there that the noise picked up, so I barely heard someone shout my voice until Garrus gave me a nudge and pointed.

My mouth immediately went dry. Shit, I think my knees almost buckled for a moment before I managed to walk forwards again. As for her, the smile on her face was only matched by the fact she looked ready to burst into tears. I closed the gap quickly with only one intention on my mind. I cupped her face with a hand as I kissed her, feeling her immediately embrace me in return, opening her mouth to accept my tongue as I held her close in return. Best kiss I’d had since I woke up, hands down, never will be beaten.

The only reason we stopped was the sound of a cleared throat, glancing back to see Garrus looking awkward as always. “Look, I’ll give you some time, Shepard, but I’m sure Liara is expecting us.”

“Honestly, she can wait for a moment. This is far more important.”

“I know. And it’s good to see you, Gianna.”

“Garrus, right? I’ll only take him for a few minutes. Then I can meet with him later.”

Garrus nodded and disappeared so I could give Gianna my full attention. I gently caressed her face, drinking in her features once again. She was as beautiful as I remembered. “You were dead,” she whispered.

“I got better,” I whispered back. Her lip immediately trembled as I wiped her cheeks. “I never thought in a million years you’d be here.”

“It’s a long story, Shepard. But I know you’re busy.”

“No, I honestly don’t care about Liara right now.”

“I’ve heard the rumours, Shepard. I don’t care one way or the other, but I know it’s to do with the disappearance. It’s the only reason why you’d be back now. It’s your thing, right? Save the galaxy?”

“I do seem to have that reputation nowadays.”

She rested her head against my chest as I caressed the back of her head. “God, it’s so good to see you again. I don’t know whether to just burst into tears or give you an almighty slap for just suddenly reappearing.”

“It’s a long story, one I’ll definitely tell you about. And you’ll have to tell me what you’re doing here.”

“Okay. How long are you here for?”

“A few days. I have a few jobs to do before moving on.”

She let me go, standing back to open her omni-tool. I gave her my new contact details and I received her contact details, address and other bits of information I’d lost. “Come find me whenever you’re done.”

“I’ll try not to be too long.”

She smiled. “Take your time, Shepard. You’re here for a few days, so I’m going to make the most of them anyway.” She leaned forward, gave me a soft kiss, then she disappeared into the crowd, glancing back more than once, perhaps wondering if I’d just disappear and she’d dreamed it all. I definitely had a grin on my face and a spring in my step as I met with Garrus, and we continued our journey towards Liara’s office.

We entered a plush looking office building, all glass and metal, very futuristic, screens lining the walls playing various news programs from around the galaxy, stock forecasts and stock indexes running along the walls. There was a receptionist nearby who offered a friendly smile as we approached. "Hello. Welcome to T'Soni Analytics. My name is Nyxeris. How may I help you today?"

“I’m here to see Liara. Name’s Shepard.”

“Oh, yes, I’ve heard all about you, Commander Shepard.” She gestured, adding, “Miss T’Soni has been expecting your arrival for some time. Her office is up the stairs, to the left at the end of the hall.”

“Thanks.”

Heading in the direction she pointed, we passed by glass frontages, behind which sat banks of people at terminals, busy typing away, or they were taking calls, or in the middle of vid conferences. It all looked rather busy and quite hectic. Approaching Liara’s door, I did stop to take a deep breath before opening it and walking in. On first appearance, it was luxury personified though my eyes immediately went to Liara, who was wearing a dress that stuck to her body, her back turned to me, immediately noticing the freckles on her back I remembered quite well. In front of her was a hologram of a human man.

"Have you ever faced an asari commando unit before? Few humans have.” She paused, obviously letting the threat sit on his mind. "I'll make it simple. Either pay me or I'll flay you alive. With my mind." The hologram disappeared and Liara grabbed a datapad, reading it over. She still hadn’t sensed our presence, so I cleared my throat, causing her to turn around sharply. Soon as she noticed me, the datapad was dropped as she rushed towards me. “Shepard!” she cried.

I opened my arms as I found myself embraced by an old friend very quickly, though she didn’t go for the kiss like Gianna, simply hugging me tightly, very tightly. “Well, good to see you too, Liara.” She didn’t say anything for a moment, so I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment as well. “Where happened to the innocent young asari I met on Therum though?"

She leaned back and managed to look guilty. “Oh, you heard all that?”

“I heard enough. What’s going on?”

“Is this where you show concern, Shepard?”

“I’ve been gone two years, Liara. Seems like an awful lot has changed without me.”

“True. Come, take a seat.” She hugged Garrus first before offering him a seat, walking around to sit on the other side of her desk. She folded her arms and smiled at me. It seemed sincere but slightly forced, though whether it was because of me or something else, I couldn’t be sure. “I have so much to tell you, Shepard. I’m really not sure where to begin?”

“Why don’t I tell you what I know and I’ll fill in the gaps?” She nodded, so I started. “I got spaced and pretty much died. It was above Alchera, correct?” She nodded again. “Alliance spent all of a week to find my body before abandoning the search. Council didn’t even bother. Between that and now, I ended up in the hands of Cerberus, who chose to rebuild me. While I was gone, you’ve gone from archaeologist to this. Ashley has been promoted.”

“You’ve seen Ashley?”

“On Horizon. Long story, don’t want to go into it. Tali is back with the Fleet. Saw her on Freedom’s Progress. Collected Garrus on Omega. Rest of my old team has returned home I would assume.”

“Wrex is on Tuchanka. He’s trying to reunite the clans under his name.”

“Well, that’s pretty much everyone then. So add to all that, the Council has continued to be absolutely useless, though at least made me a Spectre again, but I’ve been told to pretty much stay away Council space. The Alliance know I’m back but have barely got in contact. So now I’m stuck with Cerberus because they’re the only people willing to give me what I need. I still don’t know how I ended up with them in the first place. That’s the head scratcher.”

“I did it,” Liara confessed straight away.

That definitely made me scratch my head. “You did? Why?”

“Have you heard about the Shadow Broker?”

“Of course. That’s how we recruited Tali before. And the Illusive Man mentioned you may have dealings with him.”

“That’s putting it mildly. I’ll give a brief summary. You died and your old team was split up. We fell out of contact quite quickly to be honest. The Council thought we were all delusional. The Alliance just wanted us gone. I know Ashley and Tali parted ways because of it. What I knew is that after everything we had learned about the Reapers, we couldn’t just stop. They’re still out there.”

“They are, because they clearly control the Collectors.”

“Anyway, I started all of this as I heard the Shadow Broker was offering a reward to retrieve your body and hand it over to them. The Collectors. I worked with a drell, Feron, who eventually helped me retrieve your body and hand it over to Cerberus. The only reason I did that was because the Illusive Man told me that he had the technology to bring you back. I was being given updates by him up until about three months ago. When they stopped, I assumed either it had failed or he was now hiding progress from me. I had people try and hack into their systems but that would make us a target, even on Illium.”

“Life’s been pretty crazy since I woke up.”

“How does it feel being back?”

“It’s weird having been gone for two years yet, to me, it felt like two minutes. One moment, I’m floating through space. I’d just watched the Normandy explode. Then things go dark. Next moment, I’m waking up in a Cerberus laboratory. That’s a little disconcerting, particularly when I’m told rather quickly that I’ve missed two whole years.” I pause before asking, “So what are you doing now?”

“I run this information brokerage firm. Information is vital, Shepard. It makes me a lot of money, and I’ve used a lot of that to fund research into the Reapers. Any little clue I’ve managed to dig out, I’ve had my best people on it. I’ve also kept tabs on those closest to you.”

“I’ve already seen Emily on the Citadel.”

“Gianna is here, Shepard.”

“I know. Already seen her. I’m going to go see her once I’m done here.”

“Remember Doctor Ross?” I nodded. “She’s now working for the Alliance, specifically for Admiral Hackett. Special R&D division. If there’s one man in the Alliance who believes you, it’s him. Well, two, if you include Captain Anderson. Also Helena Blake, she’s on Omega. She’s now a social worker.”

“I had no idea she was there.”

“You were a little distracted, Shepard,” Garrus interrupted with a chuckle, “And I don’t mean by the recruiting.”

“Oh, you mean Tara?”

“Who’s Tara?” Liara asked.

“An asari dancer I met in Afterlife. I also met Aria T’Loak, though I wasn’t intimate with her.”

Despite everything, Liara could still be rather innocent as the blush was immediate. “Oh… So another notch then, Shepard?”

“He’s had a couple more since then too!” Garrus exclaimed, earning a glare from me, which only increased his laughter.

“Anyway, aside from them, two more asari who I know you might be interested to know about. Shiala returned to Zhu’s Hope, though I’ve been reading reports they are having health difficulties. It might be something worth checking out if you have the time. And Benezia is living on Eden Prime. Her estate has passed to me, so I send her money every month. She’s now living a simple life, trying to regain control of her mind. But she’s still facing difficulties each day. Saren wreaked havoc with anyone he came into contact with. Every day is a struggle for her, but she’s made some friends with the locals and they help her each day.”

“So what are your plans?” I wondered.

“At the moment, I’m busy with a million and one things, Shepard. But I have a feeling the Shadow Broker looms on the horizon, but for now, I intend to continue with my projects.”

“Any chance you’d like to join me again?”

“Not right now. It’s been two years, Shepard. Do you understand?”

“Of course. I haven’t expected anyone to just drop everything and join me again. Still, this reunion is better than with Ashley. She was… not happy. Not about my return. The fact I was with Cerberus.”

“I know it’s hard for you as well, Shepard, but it was the best and only choice at the time.”

“I’m not complaining about being given a second chance, Liara. Trust me.”

“I assume you’d like to go meet Gianna shortly though, right?”

“Yeah. Lovely seeing you and all. I would stay longer but…”

“Don’t worry, Shepard. I understand. Though Garrus, if you’re not busy, maybe we can catch up?”

“I’d like that, Liara. Been a long time.”

Liara escorted me to the door, kissing my cheek, insisting we catch up the next day for lunch and we could discuss my recruitment, as she figured that was what had brought me to Illium. Heading out of the building, I walked back to where I’d met Gianna, but there was no sign of her, so I wandered towards the nearest rank of cabs and took one close to her address. She lived in a nice part of town, perhaps not the most affluent, and I figured it was one of those stories where the poor lived below, and the higher up you lived, the better off you were.

Knocking on her front door, it opened within seconds and I found myself dragged in by the hand, the door closing as I was embraced once again. This time, all she did was giggle and laugh as I held her just as tight, my cheeks almost hurting from the grin on my own face. “God, it’s so good to see you again,” she said quietly.

“Been waiting to find you too. Thought you would have been on Noveria.”

“Long story,” she replied before she kissed me. The sort of kiss that deepened quickly, feeling her body mould into mine. Two years were gone in an instant, reminded of our last time on the Citadel, or those brief few days we shared back on Noveria. When we broke apart, her cheeks were certainly red while I felt rather warm myself. “Hungry? For food, that is?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. I have dinner cooking. Hope you like pasta.” I nodded. “And wine?”

“Of course.”

I followed her into the small kitchen, sitting on one of the stools she gestured towards as she got back to cooking. It all looked rather simple but the smell told me it would be delicious nonetheless. “So, Noveria to Illium. How does that work?”

“Once I heard the news about you, Shepard, I couldn’t say on Noveria. I still hoped we’d managed to make something work, and I was happy enough in the role, though after bagging Anoleis, my career was at a bit of a turning point. Once you were gone, I looked around and only saw memories of you everywhere. It was… difficult, mourning you alone because barely anyone knew we’d been together. So I packed my job in and readied myself to do something different.

That’s when your friend got in touch with me. Liara. She’d got wind I’d quit my job so offered me some temporary work here while I got back on my feet. So I flew here, signed a short term contract with her, found a place, then eventually started to build a name for myself as an investigator. I formed my own company about a year ago now. Same sort of jobs I was doing on Noveria, but now I’m my own boss, and despite the lax laws on Illium, there is still a tonne of work.”

She started serving up, passing me the bottle of wine and two glasses so I could pour and take them to the nearby table. I set the rest up before we sat down, Gianna at the head, while I sat to her right. She held out her hand, taking my left with her right, and we ate one handed while sipping our wine in between. “It’s interesting here, at least. And the weather is better. I can actually go outside and not freeze my tits off nor have to wear seven layers of clothing just to keep warm. The asari are friendly enough. Humans are still rare enough on Illium to attract attention. Most of it good, though. Been back to Earth to see the family a couple of times. That made me feel better about things through it all.”

“You’ve been busy?”

“I needed to keep busy, Shepard. I didn’t want to think. If I had quiet time, I’d think and then…” She paused, taking a deep, shuddering breath, “Shepard, can I ask this bluntly?”

“Of course.”

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I burst into laughter, thankful that she did the same. “Sorry, I just really needed to ask that. I’m still holding your hand now and telling myself it’s real.” I squeezed her hand, which made her smile. “It feels real enough.”

I told her the same story I’d just told Liara. She knew about Cerberus and had heard rumours, though once I added the Collector link, she accepted I was simply doing what needed to be done. Other than that, I admitted I was still catching up on what I’d missed but, like her, I had a mission to complete so I didn’t really have time to contemplate everything to do with my return.

Sitting side by side on her lounge with another glass of wine, we perhaps chatted for another five minutes before I kissed her again. Glasses were placed down on the coffee table rather quickly as our hands were busy doing other more important things. She’d definitely put on a little make-up. Had done her hair. Her perfume was gorgeous. Her body felt exactly the same. Her skin was still beautiful.

I stood up and helped her up, taking the lead as I led her toward the bedroom. Turning towards her, I didn’t even ask a question. I said one word. “Yes?”

“God yes, Shepard,” she whispered.

We undressed each other, hands, fingertips, lips and tongue enjoying the skin of the other. Once I had her bra off, I made her giggle as I immediately leaned down, earning a couple of moans as her nipples definitely received attention, my hand blindly lowering her trousers before sliding into her underwear. She gasped when I touched her sex for the first time, feeling my head lifted so she could kiss me. Sitting her down on the bed, I quickly took off everything else as I joined her.

Spreading her legs, it was obvious immediately she wanted only one thing, kissing me again as I gently pressed forward, earning a moan into my mouth as I slowly slid my cock inside her. I had to break the kiss and groan, unable to stop the smile as I ever so slowly buried myself inside her. When I opened my eyes to meet hers, there was another tremble of her lower lip and she had to blink a number of times.

“Never thought…” she said, choking back a sob. I kissed her softly again as her hands caressed my back.

Then we made love. It’s the only way to describe it. Nothing like what I did with Jack at all. Nothing like I’d done with Kelly, though I liked Kelly. But the depth of feeling with Gianna was something else entirely. As I said, two years, gone in an instant. At least for me. I could remember vividly our last time on the Citadel. We’d spent every second possible together. We’d made love constantly but also had a lot of fun outside the bedroom. She was perhaps the only woman out of all those I’d been with that I thought I could possibly commit to. And making love to her again for the first time since then, I was having those same thoughts again. God only knows what she was thinking.

Spinning around, watching Gianna ride me was also something spectacular to watch. Her flawless skin. Those wonderful breasts that many would have probably thought fake but were simply a gift from god. Or her mother. Her flat stomach, a sign she looked after herself and ate right. Her legs, which felt wonderful pressed against or wrapped around me. Her tight pussy, which was always wet, willing and very accommodating whenever we were together. Her face which was as if da Vinci painted it himself.

I held on for as long as I could, wanting her to orgasm first. Actually desperate for her to orgasm. When she finally did, I took all of a minute to finish as well, Gianna gently lying herself down on my chest as we lay in silence. Only then did she really start to cry, and I held onto her tightly as I rolled us onto our sides, feeling her shuffle into me, arms and leg around my body.

“I’m going to wake up and you’re not going to be here,” she sobbed quietly.

I caressed her hair, ran my hand up and down her back. “I’m here, Gianna. It’s real.”

“You died, Shepard. I felt so alone. I hadn’t felt feelings like that for anyone. And now you’re back, and I don’t know what to think or feel.”

I lifted her chin with a finger so she could meet my eyes before I left a soft kiss on her lips. “That was real,” I whispered. She returned a crooked grin before I kissed her again, a little firmer this time, before we deepened it together, earning a whimper for my troubles, before we broke apart again. “I was hoping to find you again. Either on Noveria or somewhere in the galaxy.”

“How long are you here for?”

“A few days. I’m recruiting a couple of people for my missions. And I’ll want to catch up with Liara.”

“Will you… I know you had others…”

“Not if I’m on the same planet as you, Gianna. Not a chance.”

That made her smile as she snuggled into me, resting her head under my chin. We relaxed before she suggested a shower might be a good idea before we go to sleep. It was a good idea, and though her emotions were obviously still conflicted, I did her best to make her laugh as we showered, either gently feeling her up as I soaped her up, or tickled her just for fun.

Ending up back under the covers afterwards, I don’t think either of us were in any hurry to get to sleep. Her hands were constantly going up and down my back, as if reassuring herself I was still there. I constantly gave her little kisses all over her face as reassurance as well. She eventually fell asleep before me, cuddling as close as possible, holding her and returning the gesture of running my fingers up and down her back. For the first time since waking up, apart from that one night with Emily, I felt perfectly content with the world.

There was only one thing I was going to do the next morning once we had both woken up, making sure she was on her back as I quickly lowered myself down her body, spread her legs, and then putting it simply, ate her out until she orgasmed. And I kept going until she simply had to cry enough. I’m sure I must have been going for at least half an hour. At least that long. My jaw was aching by the end. I was even sweating from the exertion. As for Gianna, she lay back with the sort of smile that a woman only had after having done that to her. “I don’t think I’ll be able to walk,” she giggled.

So I wandered into her bathroom, ran a bath, putting some bubble bath into it, before walking back into the bedroom, scooping her up in my arms, making her coo about my muscles, before we enjoyed a relaxing bath together. “I feel very relaxed, Shepard. I wonder why that is…”

We relaxed until the water started to get a little too cold, drying each other off again before needing to get dressed. She offered me breakfast, and she had a couple of things I needed, such as protein and fruits, and she was looking fit as usual in her business attire. We walked hand in hand out of her apartment, out of her building, all the way to where her office was. She said she now had a couple of employees, but they were simply assistants.

“Will you come by again tonight?”

“Gianna, if you want, I’ll be with you every night while I’m here.”

Gods, the smile that lit up her face. I had that flutter in the heart I’d had before with her. I’d ignored it because… well, the last time I’d had it… She kissed me softly and told me to be safe and that she’d see me later.

Returning to the _Normandy_, I checked my messages, Kelly at her usual spot as she would go off ship when not on shift, otherwise she would keep busy with work. Miranda was also at work, and I discussed the dossiers with her. Garrus popped in and suggested we just ask Liara about them as she seemed to know quite a lot of information that we didn’t. Miranda said she’d meet us later. I made a joke about being worried about Liara, and she admitted it was perhaps best we keep those parts of my life separate. I actually appreciated the sentiment behind that and told her so. It earned a rather warm smile.

“So what did you two discuss last night?” I asked Garrus on the way to Liara’s office.

“Told her about what I was up to on Omega. Once I was done explaining, she honestly thought it was her fault for not keeping in touch. It wasn’t hers, it wasn’t anyone’s. It just… happened. Anyway, Liara isn’t the same person either. There’s a harder edge to her now. A steel inside her that wasn’t there before. I think Illium has definitely toughened her up.”

“Any regrets about Omega?”

“None whatsoever, Shepard. Well, that’s a slight lie. Only one. The bastard who got my men killed. I know who it is, still searching for him. Once I have, I’ll explain everything. But about Omega itself and what I was doing? Every kill was righteous, Shepard. Taking out the trash of the galaxy.”

“Far as I’m concerned, you were doing great work. It’s just unfortunate it ended how it did.”

“You turned up and saved the day, Shepard. Saved my life. I’ll always be thankful for that.”

“No problem, Garrus. Happy to help.”

Nyxeris gestured for us to just walk up to Liara’s office. She was pleased to see us, Garrus receiving another hug though this time I received a kiss in addition to a hug. I actually felt a tad embarrassed by it, simply because it was unexpected. Liara took a step back and shook her head. “No, that won’t do at all, Shepard.” So she tried again. This time, I was ready for it, so I made sure to kiss her back… and then some. My hands were soon around her back, one cupping her arse as I pulled her towards me, and she may have released a quiet whimper when I gave it a good squeeze.

“Um, need me to go wait out in the hall?”

We pulled apart, Liara now with red cheeks and breathing heavily, her eyes looking into mine like she definitely wanted to continue. “No,” she replied, “That won’t be necessary, Garrus. Just waited two years to do that. Sorry I didn’t do it yesterday, Shepard. I was just in such shock… and I knew you were meeting Gianna.”

“No problem, Liara. I prefer to be greeted that way instead of with a gun to the face or something.”

Taking the same seats we took yesterday, I asked, “Can you help us with some information?”

“Sure, what do you need?”

I needed her contact information, and sent her the dossiers once I had it. She glanced over them and nodded. “Sure, Shepard. I can help you with these. Justicars are people I generally avoid for various reasons, but I should be able to locate her for you. Thane Krios? I know that name very well. I can definitely point you in his direction as well. Both of these are possible recruits?”

“They are who the Illusive Man sent me to find.”

“Interesting. You’re certainly gathering a unique bunch of characters, Shepard.”

“As long as they have the skills we need.”

“Just one warning, Shepard. Justicars? They take a vow of celibacy so she will be one asari you won’t be able to fuck.”

Garrus burst into laughter. All I did was ask, “And you, Liara? You still interested in that side of our relationship?”

She smiled and looked at Garrus. “Well, it all depends on your friend here. Do you need to go right away, Shepard?”

“I promised I would meet Gianna tonight. Until then, I’m free. Everyone knows recruitment will take a few days.”

“Hmmm. Perhaps not right now. Let’s see how things go first. Right, I think your best bet would be to find Thane. Let me do some digging as anytime a drell shows up, it’s news. You don’t often see them around the galaxy.”

“Thanks, Liara. Just send anything you’ve got to my omni-tool and we’ll go from there.


	28. Book 2, Chapter 9 - Prayers for the Wicked

My alarm sounded and I managed to turn it off without waking her. Sliding out from under the covers, I managed to find my clothing in the darkness, peeking outside the curtains to see the sun only just starting to brighten the sky in the distance. Actually sunrise would still be a couple of hours. It was only as I was putting on my boots that Gianna finally stirred as she turned over and noticed I was missing.

“Shepard?”

I crept over to the bed and knelt on it, running my hand through her long dark hair. “I have to meet the crew for breakfast,” I whispered, “Ritual I must do before every mission. Busy day.”

“No breakfast this morning?”

“Not this time. Maybe tomorrow though?” I leaned down to kiss her. “I really enjoyed last night.”

“So did I. You’ll be back tonight?”

“Of course. Soon as I have the recruit back on the ship, we’ll quickly plan the next mission then I’ll head here. Not sure what time.”

“Just come straight here. I’ll send you the code for the front door in case I’m not here. Just come in, make yourself at home.”

“I could attempt to cook but… I can admit it’s not a strong point.”

“Oh, I love cooking, Shepard. Don’t worry. All you need to do is make sure my wine glass is never empty, and that you shower with me affection.”

“Both things I can do.” I leaned down to kiss her again. It was a long kiss, and the passion increased with every passing second, the sheet covering her body falling down to reveal olive skin and parts of her body I definitely enjoyed. Through sheer willpower only, I managed to pull away. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Stay safe, Shepard.”

“I will.”

Grabbing my jacket, I glanced back as she simply watched me leave in the darkness. God, I hated myself for leaving her like that. I could have happily stayed with her all morning in bed, and not even for the sex, which was as great as I remembered, but the simple fact I really liked being with her. But the job came first. It always had, and the ritual of breakfast before the mission was one I wasn’t willing to break, even for her.

I checked the time as I walked back to the _Normandy_. Most people would still be getting up. Some early birds would be in the mess already, but most would be arriving by the time I walked out of the elevator. Even this early, Nos Astra was alive with people. I think it was one of those twenty-four-hour city’s that simply never sleeps.

The mess was starting to get busy as I lined up to get a tray of food, pleased to see that Gardner had been off the ship to gather plenty of ingredients. He told me that the storage unit was now full of better quality products, and while most of our meals while out traversing the galaxy couldn’t be with fresh produce, while we were on Illium, we would certainly be treated to more fruit and vegetables than usual. Music to my ears, in all honesty.

Taking my usual seat across from Garrus, next to Kelly, in the middle of the crew, I listened in as many discussed stories of what they’d been up to. It sounded like they’d been enjoying time away from the ship when they had the opportunity. I asked Kelly what she’d been up to. “Just wandered around, Shepard. I wouldn’t call it a conventionally pretty city but there are places of tranquillity.” She then shuffled a little closer, lifting her lips to my ear. “And I may have needed to get myself off last night. It’s a bit awkward in a room full of people. But don’t you dare apologise. I know who you’ve been with.”

“You do?”

“Word spreads quickly, Shepard. She was in your file.”

“Thanks.”

She left a soft kiss on my cheek. “You have quite a few women who like you, Shepard. You’re a lucky man.”

“I don’t know how you do it,” Garrus muttered.

Once breakfast was finished, I got in contact with Liara for any last minute intel regarding the whereabouts of the assassin. She’d been busy since early the next morning and she was hopefully going to deliver. “_Jackpot, Shepard. As I told you, the arrival of drell pretty much anywhere outside Kahje is big news, simply because we don’t see many of them around. A couple of contacts have let me know that the drell, Thane Krios, is on Illium to assassinate Nassana Dantius.”_

“That name sounds familiar.”

_“You killed her sister, Shepard. She didn’t order it as you weren’t to know. But there was an investigation and it blew up in her face. She left the Citadel for Illium, where she now resides in Dantius Towers, surrounded by a small army of Eclipse mercenaries. I’m not sure who Thane is working for, but he must have some skill to enter a tower full of mercenaries to kill one person.”_

“Any sighting of him since?”

_“No. Your best bet would be to contact an asari by the name of Seryna. I will send you the details at the close of this call. I would be careful, Shepard. Drell mercenaries are extremely proficient. I have found out everything I could about Thane. Nothing official but he’s been linked with dozens of assassinations. If you go chasing him, he might get the wrong idea and want to fight you as well.”_

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Send me what you go and I’ll go from there. Thanks, Liara.”

_“You’re welcome, Shepard. One more thing. I know you’re meeting with Gianna every night. Any chance we could have a chance to catch up while you’re here?”_

“Of course. Definitely before I have to go.”

_“Good. It’s hard knowing you’re here, off doing what you do. I have certainly missed the excitement. Being so close to death is quite the adrenaline rush.”_

“You’re telling me! I’ll let you know as soon as I can. Talk later.”

Disconnecting, my omni-tool was soon flooded with information. A biography of Thane himself. Press articles that linked him to assassinations across the galaxy. An artist’s impression of what he looked like. A breakdown of his favourite killing style. A list of his supposed talents. From what I read, the man made murder a work of art.

Figuring his idea of infiltrating a building would be pure stealth, I’d want to attract his attention, so would go in fast and loud. That meant Grunt, Jack, Garrus and Zaeed. I asked them to be ready in an hour as I headed up to the CIC, where I grabbed Kelly, and escorted her to the elevator, pushing the button for my cabin.

“Don’t you have a mission?”

“In an hour.”

“You’re not…”

“I have plenty of time.”

Once the elevator dinged, I grabbed her hand and led her into the cabin, where she spun and immediately kissed me as I led her towards the bed. Clothing was ripped off quickly, and once I had her down to underwear, she immediately sat back on the bed, moving backwards, as I undressed and joined her. She lifted her arse so I could lower her panties, spreading her legs and simply dove in. I think just thought of what we were doing had excited her, and I wasted little time getting her going, feeling her hand on top of my head to keep me in place. “Just like that,” she breathed.

“God I love your taste,” I murmured, licking and sucking every inch of her pussy I could, plunging her depths with my tongue. Her hips were soon bucking at what I was doing, hearing her breathing rate increase as she was definitely turned on now.

“Oh god,” she cried quietly, almost squeaking, as she sat up on her elbows to watch me, lifting my eyes to look back at her. “Make me cum,” she pleaded. I simply smiled as I made her head roll back again as my tongue found her clit, and she was ready to go now, her body grinding down into my mouth as I did everything to her clit except bite the damn thing off.

When she finally came, she came hard, trying to squeeze her legs together as I held them apart. Her back arched at quite the angle before she slowly relaxed, managing to pick herself up onto her elbows again. She now looked absolutely beautiful in the low light, with her rather red cheeks, red hair stuck to her forehead, those green eyes of hers staring into mine.

I stopped what I was doing, instead slowly kissing up her body as she managed to remove her bra, giving her hard nipples a little attention before I kissed up her neck, making her moan as I gently bit her. When I kissed her, I slid my cock in at the same time. “I can taste myself on your lips,” she said with a giggle, followed by a gasp as I buried my cock.

Honestly, I would say it was the first time we made love. Feeling her pull her legs up, holding them to my side, I didn’t just pound her like before. It was certainly gentler, and more about the whole experience. We made out nearly the entire time, feeling her fingers really dig into my back when I really drove down into her, but it wasn’t hard, just deep, enough to earn a loud gasp or an appreciative moan.

“You feel fantastic,” I murmured, “Love being with you like this, Kelly.”

The smile she returned was simply fantastic, lighting up the entire room as she dragged my head down to kiss me. “You are so much better than my fingers, Shepard.” I couldn’t help chuckle though she laughed as well, the joke obvious.

She eventually wrapped her legs around me, feeling her ankles just above by arse, though I was in no hurry to cum, simply wanting to enjoy the feeling of being intimate with her again, as it had been a few days since our last time. But no man can last forever, and only when I could feel my orgasm arriving did I start to thrust into her a little faster, but even then, nothing like before. I kissed her hard again before I rested my forehead against hers, staring into her eyes.

“Cum in me,” she breathed. I was going to do that anyway but hearing a woman say that would always be sexy. I groaned as I felt the impending rush, burying myself hard a few times before I finally erupted, a louder, longer groan escaping me as I pumped until I simply couldn’t any longer, stopping with my cock completely buried inside her, resting down just above her body as I felt her arms and legs wrap around me tightly. “Think we both needed that,” she whispered.

“Definitely,” I said quietly. I stayed inside her, continuing to make out, until I simply had to move, falling onto my back beside her, feeling her immediately roll onto her side as I wrapped an arm around her, feeling her head rest on my shoulder, her fingers immediately running up and down my chest. “Shepard, this is probably the best time to ask something personal.”

I smiled and kissed her forehead. “Ask away, Kelly.”

“Is it hard not getting feelings? Do you… just ignore them?”

“I get feelings but I just ignore them, Kelly. Otherwise I’d feel guilty about what I do sometimes, and I don’t want that. I enjoy my life.”

“I know about Annie, but have you had feelings for others but haven’t admitted it to them?”

“Yes. Please don’t ask who.”

“I won’t. I was… just wondering, that’s all.”

I turned to meet her eyes. “I really like you, Kelly. And I mean that one hundred percent.”

She smiled, caressing my cheek before leaning forward to leave a soft kiss on my lips. “Those feelings are definitely returned, Shepard.”

I turned onto my side and kissed her again, pulling her body close to mine, my hand running down until I grabbed her arse. The making out was passionate, her fingers again raking down my back, whimpering into my mouth. I think we would have been ready to go again until there was a noise that made us stop. “Think that might be EDI,” Kelly whispered.

“Hmmm, you might be right.” I cleared my throat. “Is there something you needed, EDI?”

“_Apologies for interrupting, Shepard, but you told the others to meet in one hour. You have fifteen minutes until that time.”_

“Ah, okay. Thank you, EDI. Appreciated.”

_“You’re welcome, Shepard._”

I looked back at Kelly. “I would suggest we pick this up later but…”

Kelly simply smiled. “Shepard, I said I understand so don’t worry about explaining yourself.” She kissed me again before saying, “I just loved what we did. Your entire focus was on me, like I was the only girl in the entire galaxy. You made me feel special. That’s all any girl wants.”

We headed to the bathroom for a quick wash before we dressed and headed downstairs. Kelly returned to her terminal as I walked into the armoury, quickly dressing in my armour and grabbing my weapons. Before leaving, I returned to Kelly, spun her around, and gave her quite the parting gift. The smile returned when I finally pulled back was reward enough. “Don’t do anything stupid,” she warned.

“I’ll be back later to at least drop all this stuff off.”

“Long as I get another kiss like that.” She leaned forward. “Though now they’re all going to gossip.”

“Kelly, they know we’re intimate already.”

That made her rise her eyebrows. “Intimate? I thought we were fucking?”

“That too.” I caressed her cheek as I added, “But I really enjoyed what we did today.”

I kissed her again then walked away, feeling the eyes of some of the crew on me. I’m sure Kelly was perhaps a little embarrassed, but I glanced back to be rewarded with another grin. This sort of behaviour would never have flown on an Alliance vessel. It would have been fraternisation and we’d have both been in deep shit. Considering it was Cerberus, and it wasn’t military, I was left thinking _Fuck it. Enjoy life for a change._

The four I requested were waiting outside the ship, sitting around, shooting the shit, before my arrival. Once they noticed me, they all stood up and waited for orders. I explained briefly who we were looking for, who the target was, where we would be going and what to anticipate once we were inside. Zaeed looked around and asked, “So we’re not exactly going subtle then, Shepard?”

“Not at all. I want to either gain his attention or keep them distracted enough that they don’t kill him before we get to him.”

First port of call was to speak with Seryna. It was easy to understand within two minutes that she had a bone to pick with Nassana Dantius, but I wasn’t left believing she was telling any lies. To put it bluntly, Nassana was an unscrupulous bitch who deserved to be put in the ground. As we didn’t know where the towers were, she offered to take my team there, all of us managing to fit into her skycar. On the way, she provided more information, particularly in regards to infiltrating the building, the type of enemies we might run into, and a suggestion what we could do to Nassana if we got to her first. Dropped off in the parking lot outside, she wished us luck, and expressed the opinion that Thane would likely take care of Nassana thanks to us helping in our own way.

Walking towards the front doors, the sound of gunfire was a surprise, quickly taking out weapons and jogging forward. It wasn’t Thane, of course. I could see mercenaries gunning down people in uniforms such as janitors. I simply charged and slammed into one of the Eclipse mercenaries, turning and blasting away another one. I hadn’t taken Grunt down on Horizon, as he’d just woken up and I wasn’t exactly sure about taking him down on that setting. But he proved his worth, his enormous shotgun blasting Eclipse mercenaries away with ease. In fact, the shotgun was so powerful, it generally sent them flying.

Once the mercenaries were dead, we questioned a couple of the workers who had survived. They couldn’t tell me all that much. I had some medical training, as did Garrus, so we were able to patch up those we could, but a couple wouldn’t see the sun rising the next morning. Escorting the workers away, surprised that most of them were salarian, we gathered together as I issued final instructions. Well, a final instruction.

“Anyone in yellow dies.” I looked at Zaeed. “Not you, obviously.”

“Had me a little worried there, Shepard. Thought I might have to start wearin’ blue.”

“I was thinking why don’t we all start wearing black,” I suggested as we moved on.

“Why black?” Garrus asked.

“We’d look like sinister motherfuckers for one thing. All five of us turning up in black armour right now? We’d scare the shit out of most people.”

I shut up as we soon met more Eclipse mercenaries and we all got down to what we did best. I was charging around the exposed room, Grunt didn’t know what cover was, Jack used her favourite attack of shockwave, each one sending mercenaries flying through the air, Zaeed rarely missed a target, while Garrus worked from range. Nassana definitely had an army as we must have fought five to six times our number in that small battle alone. My shields went down more than once and it was only thanks to my armour that I wasn’t actually shot.

I was already wondering how the incessant fire didn’t attract the attention of the local police, though I’d been told Nassana had likely bought off anyone possible for protection. The only event that would probably bring anyone here was if we blew the towers to the ground. While that wasn’t my intention, I didn’t chuckle to myself as no doubt my reputation for destruction would only increase.

Stepping over the bodies, most of them bleeding out, shooting those who were not dead yet, we found an elevator that appeared to be in working order. Jack called me over, pointing her weapon at a door. “Voices,” she whispered.

I didn’t think mercenaries would be hiding behind a door, waiting for us to open, but I didn’t like surprises either. I gestured for everyone to be ready as I knocked on the door. “Who’s there?” asked a voice from inside.

“We’re friendlies. Name’s Shepard. You okay in there?”

“We are, but can you get us out. We’re trapped in here.”

“Stand back. I brought a krogan.” Stepping aside, I gestured from Grunt to the door. “Reckon you could…” Before I could finish my sentence, Grunt charged and bust down the door with ease. Inside were four terrified salarians, probably even more terrified having seen a charging krogan appear, but Grunt stepped back and I popped my head through the gap. “Hey, fellas. Doing okay?”

They were relieved to see some friendly faces and had more information for us. Thane had actually been through this way before us and had actually sealed them inside. So he appeared to be an assassin with a conscience, or at least he didn’t like collateral damage. We pointed them in the direction they could at least leave safely, suggesting they ignore the bodies though they were all dead. As they disappeared, we headed to the elevator.

In these situations, it’s never wise to stand near the doors, so we stood back and waited, weapons ready, just in case. Caution proved correct when the doors opened to reveal a krogan and two asari. Before they could even move, we poured so much firepower into the small space, they had no chance, dragging their bloodied corpses out before loading in and pressing the button to go up.

“Well, this is lovely,” Garrus joked, “I love it when I get blood all over my boots.”

“Ah, quit your belly achin’. Part of the fuckin’ job,” Zaeed muttered.

“I have standards,” Garrus retorted.

It was quite the journey before the elevator dinged, the doors opened, and ahead stood a lone mercenary. Gesturing for quiet, I walked forward until I could prod the barrel of my shotgun into his back. “How’s it going? Lovely view from up here, isn’t it?”

He was obviously having a smoke, watching his hand shake as he took it from his mouth. “Sure, what do you want to know?”

“Where’s the assassin?”

He choked back a laugh. “How would I fuckin’ know? I’m just smokin’ here, friend.”

“Not your friend. Where’s the assassin?”

“I told you. I don’t…”

I pulled the trigger, the blast going straight through his back, through his body, busting the glass partition in front of him, and with a soft kick, I sent his body falling over the edge. Without another word, we tuned and moved on, Eclipse now more than aware we were coming. We tried hacking into their radio channels, but they must have been encrypted, as none of us could get in, so we didn’t hear their chatter.

They were now flooding forward though and adapted their tactics, now grouping in threes and fours, and I simply couldn’t charge into groups like that. So I worked with Jack, swapping my shotgun for an assault rifle, watching as she would send shockwaves forward, leaving the flying mercenaries as easy picking for the rest of us. Grunt still didn’t really know what cover was but didn’t seem to take much damage, any blood drawn being a bade of pride for the young krogan.

We found more workers as we fought our way up the tower. Most of them were beyond terrified, lucky we hadn’t had our heads blow off by one salarian as he accidentally fired when we opened the door to the closet he was hiding in. I was on the verge of giving him a slap before he fainted to the ground, his colleagues thanking us for the rescue and they’d look after him.

Arriving at the bridge linking both towers, it looked like the perfect trap, all of us taking cover and assessing. “See much, Garrus?”

“Well, there’s no other way across, Shepard, unless you want to head downstairs and try door number two.”

“Machine guns too, Shepard. Two of the fuckers. One either side,” Zaeed reported.

“Okay, we need to take those out first. Garrus, those are yours. What I’ll do is charge over and draw their fire, allowing the rest of you to follow. Jack, you follow me first. Once you sight anyone, unleash hell. I want piles of dead bodies.”

“That sort of talk will get me nice and wet for later, Shepard.”

“Spirits,” Garrus muttered as Zaeed simply cackled with laughter.

“Grunt and Zaeed, you follow up with all the firepower you have at your disposal. Got it?” The four nodded. “Okay, get into position. Garrus, once you take out the first gun, I’ll move.”

We spread out, getting into position. I crouched behind cover and waited for the first shot. I knew the sort of rifle Garrus carried. It was fucking powerful, capable of causing immense destruction to man or machine. A direct shot at a machine gun? It would blow up easily.

I barely heard the shot before the machine gun exploded. That’s when I stood up and sprinted, gunfire immediately coming towards me so I charged forward, slamming into a crowd of three. The one I hit directly went flying back as I swung my shotgun like a bat, basically knocking out the second. I took a shot from a rifle, my shields almost failing as I spun and fired in return. Firing at the one on the ground, I then heard a roar as Jack appeared, a shockwave as wide as the tower itself, or so it seemed, spreading out, wiping out anything in front of us.

Charging forward again, most were now alone or at most a pair, so while I could charge, the biotic power of Jack meant I could hang back and simply shoot the unfortunate bastards being pulled, thrown or blasted out of cover by her biotics. It was an impressive display of her power… and I was starting to understand why she found it such a turn on. She noticed me watching her and smirked. “Want to come down and fuck me later?”

I could only chuckle at her bluntness as we moved on, quickly moving up a set of stairs. We entered what was the reception to an office, and when we found at least six dead bodies, that brought us to a halt, as we looked at each other. “Thane?” I asked.

Moving forward again, we reached another room, another dead body, before walking through the next set of doors. Only then did we stop. Ahead was an asari, watching for something out the window. She wore business attire, and though I couldn’t see her face, I knew it was Nassana Dantius. The Eclipse mercenaries, around six of them, had their backs turned. I gestured for the team to spread out, raising our weapons as I whistled for her attention. “Oh, Nassana,” I sang.

She turned around in surprise, first taken aback by our presence and the weapons aimed in her direction, before her eyes narrowed towards me. “Commander Shepard? What are you doing here?”

“Well, I don’t know about me, but I think you’re about to have a very bad day. Your mercenaries below us? All dead. Those in here with you? About to be dead.”

“Are you here to kill me?”

“Surprisingly not. I’m actually looking for someone, but he doesn’t appear to be here yet.”

"Bullshit, Shepard. You finished off my sister without any qualms whatsoever. And I can only guess someone else has now paid you to finish me off."

“What makes you think we want to kill you?” Garrus wondered. A good question, I thought.

"Why else would you have spent the past couple of hours wiping out my entire security force?"

“Well, that relates to what I just said. We’re not here for you, we’re here for someone else.”

"Are you after credits? Is that it?" she asked, "Come to blackmail me about my sister?"

I couldn’t help groan. “Are you deaf, dumb, or fucking retarded? I’m not here for you.” I glanced at Garrus. “Reckon we’re a good distraction though?”

“Hmmm. Possibly. We could just shoot…”

Before Garrus could finish his sentence, a figure dropped gracefully from the ceiling. He was so silent, no-one would have known his presence if you hadn’t seen him drop. He worked through the Eclipse mercenaries so fast, it was almost embarrassing, all of it without a weapon in hand. A crushed larynx here, a neck snapped there, all of his motions fluid, almost poetry in motion. Maybe one of the Eclipse mercenaries got off a shot, Zaeed putting a bullet in his head simply to help out.

The assassin immediately moved to Nassana, taking a hidden pistol off his body and firing with no hesitation whatsoever. What he did next no doubt surprised us all. The shot was fatal, as Nassana was bleeding out very quickly, though he caught her body and laid it down on the desk, crossing her arms over her chest and closing her eyes as she took a few more breaths before her head rolled to the side. He then lowered his head, clasping his hands in prayer.

I was taken aback. I’d expected a cold blooded assassin who killed for either money or the simple thrill of the kill. What stood in front of us? Frankly, I found it bizarre. I gestured for everyone to lower their weapons, placing my rifle on my back as I slowly walked forward. “Thane Krios?” I asked.

The assassin didn't look up but had noticed our presence at least. "I apologise, but prayers for the wicked must not be forsaken."

"Does someone like her deserve such a gesture?"

Only now did he turned around. I’d never met a drell before. I’d done a little research on them but seeing them in the flesh was altogether something different. Green skin… or scales. Dark eyes. Like a void, to be honest. He blinked once, then twice, two sets of eyelids. Never seen that before. Almost reptilian. But there were enough human features, like a nose, mouth, ears, hands and feet. He was tall as well.

"The prayer is not for her. The prayer is for me."

“Why?”

"The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone. Take you, for instance. All this destruction and chaos."

“It gets the job done. Had to find you and I wasn’t exactly sure if you could take out an entire building of mercenaries alone.”

"Indeed. What intrigued me most was how far you'd go to find me." The assassin rounded the desk and stood in front of me, appearing to appraise me in return. He then glanced over my team, each one getting a once over, before his eyes returned to me again. "Well, here I am. What would you like to discuss?"

“I’m putting together a team. Best of the best and you’ve come highly recommended. Collectors are attacking human colonies, abducting people for a reason we don’t know yet. The main objective is to travel through the Omega Four relay. I’m sure you’re aware no ship has ever returned.”

“Sounds like a suicide mission.”

“While that is possible, I haven’t come back from death just to die again. It seems I get the impossible job. I tracked down Saren and killed him. I intend to do the same here.”

He nodded as he gave my words consideration, walking over towards the same window that Nassana had been keeping watch. “An interesting proposal, Shepard. I have been seeking a job that would give my soul a deep cleanse.” No idea what he was talking about but he glanced back and nodded. “Yes, I will join your team, Shepard. It would be an honour. But, before I do, there is one thing you must know about me.”

“And that is?”

“I’m dying.”

“You look perfectly fine to me considering you’ve just done all this,” Garrus stated.

“While that is true, the disease I am suffering is killing me slowly. At the moment, many would consider me healthy. The actual dying part is a slow process, but it has already begun. I am not sure how many months I have left, but I believe they number no more than twelve.”

“And you’ll devote some of those months to our cause?”

He walked forward, offering his hand. “Yes, I would be honoured if you would have me.”

I accepted his hand immediately. “Of course. Welcome to the Normandy.”

He shook the hand of everyone else present before suggesting we should really head back to the ship. We just went down the same tower, seeing signs of his progress as there were dead bodies everywhere. Some had been shot but most were clean, quiet kills. Exiting through the doors at the bottom, I immediately flagged down a pair of cabs, having them take us straight back to the _Normandy_.

Back on board, I explained to Thane that he’s meet with two people. He’d have a physical with Doctor Chakwas, which everyone had had after their recruitment. And Kelly would also talk to them as she would confer with Chakwas in regards to a psych profile. Considering the mission we were on, both our physical and mental sides were being tested and we needed to be fighting fit regarding both. Thane agreed and headed first to Doctor Chakwas as I dumped my gear and weapons in the armoury before heading out to say hello to Kelly. She turned and hugged me straight away.

“Glad you’re back safe and sound. Having a drell on board will be an interesting experience,” she said before letting me go as I turned to lean back against her workspace. She stopped working while we talked.

“He’s… interesting. He’ll be good conversation, I reckon.”

“Are you going to stay here for dinner or are you going to meet Gianna?”

“I did kinda promise…”

“Shepard, I told you I understand. We had some fun earlier and you kept your word about coming back to see me.”

“Jack will definitely be disappointed. She actually flirted with me during the mission.”

“Well, she clearly likes sex like the rest of us. But I assume it’s just that?”

“Oh, it’s that but different.”

She gave it a little thought before nodding. “Ah, I think I might know what you mean. Well, that would be no surprise either.”

“Once we’re away from Illium, we’ll have dinner in my cabin. Make a night of it.”

“I love the sound of that, Shepard.” She casually slid her hand down my chest towards my crotch, giving it a subtle squeeze. Any crew was behind me so nothing would be seen. “I will miss this tonight though.”

I leaned closer to her. “I’ll miss the taste of your pussy, Kelly,” I whispered.

“You will?”

“I could eat you out for hours, Kelly. Though maybe I’ll have to eat out your arse one night too.”

“Oh, you’d like to do that? Maybe you’d like to fuck me there too?”

I raised my eyebrows. We hadn’t broached that subject as it normally wasn’t something I cared about. But I liked to talk dirty so… “Would you like my thick cock in your tight little arse, Kelly?”

My lips were now very close to hers. “Just get me on all fours, Shepard. Do whatever you want to me.”

“First your pussy, then your arse. I’ll leave a load in both.”

She kissed me after that, her hand now stroking my obvious erection in my trousers. If anyone had noticed, they were smart enough not to watch. Moving my own hand down her body, she spread her legs slightly and I felt her sex and she was wet despite the layers of clothing. She had to cover her mouth as she was about to moan loudly. “Too much?” I asked.

“We’d better stop. I really don’t want to but we are going to end up fucking if we’re not careful.”

She removed her hand from my crotch as I immediately turned around, standing behind her. I watched the crew, all of them focusing on their work, as I stepped forward into her. She rubbed her arse against my cock as I used my right hand to fondle one of her breasts, hearing her gasp before I ran a hand down her stomach back towards her pants. They were tight but I managed to get my hand down the front. “Shepard,” she breathed as I slid into her underwear and found what I wanted.

“Don’t make a sound,” I whispered into her ear.

So in the middle of the CIC, Kelly Chambers had her pussy fondled by the CO of the _Normandy_. How we didn’t get caught, I don’t know. But she barely made a sound, though was definitely rubbing herself back against my erection as we were both getting excited. I was now fondling her faster and faster, and she eventually had to ask, “Shepard, we need privacy. Now.”

“Conference room?”

We headed straight there. I locked the door behind us as I walked forward, kissing her immediately as she sat up on the table. We worked together to get her trousers and underwear down, before she rested back on her elbows as I lowered my mouth to her pussy and licked her up and down to start. “My god, Kelly,” I groaned. And it wasn’t fake. She was delicious.

“I’m sucking your cock after this, just so you know, Shepard.”

She was so turned on, I made her cum within five minutes. Not being arrogant, just facts. She wanted more, of course, and after sliding a couple of fingers inside her, I focused on her clit and gave her an even bigger one a few minutes later. Everyone would have heard her cry out as she came hard, and it was simply too much. Normally I could keep going, but she had to ask me to stop, immediately sitting up to kiss me. “You are far too fucking good at that,” she said.

I gave her a few minutes to recover before she pushed me back and immediately dropped to her knees, excitedly taking out my erection. She licked it up and down like a lollipop at first, using her tongue to tease the head, really drawing out the experience before she finally swallowed my length. Running a hand through her hair, she smiled as she sucked my cock, and I warned her I wasn’t going to last long. She didn’t have to say anything though as I now knew what she liked. If she wanted a facial, she’d stop sucking. Otherwise, I was to just going to cum in her mouth.

“Kelly,” I moaned as she was really giving me a treat, her teasing relentless. I was already feeling weak at the knees and I hadn’t even cum yet. I was polite enough to let her know I was getting close but that just made her double her efforts. I groaned loudly as I felt the first shot fire into her mouth, holding her head in place as I emptied what felt like a gallon before I had to let go of her head and lean forward to hold onto the table. And still she kept on sucking until my cock finally started to go limp. I then felt her pack me away before she stood up before me.

“Well, I think you taste just as good as you think I do, Shepard.”

I kissed her hard, which may have surprised most people, but if she could swallow my load, I could handle a lingering aftertaste. But she eventually had to push me back. “You need to go out soon, Shepard.” Then she pulled me forward to hug me. “But thank you. I feel wonderful now.

“So do I. I’m sure she’s going to wonder why I’m in a good mood.”

“I’ll still masturbate tonight though. Thinking of you, of course.”

“Good thoughts?”

“Only the best, Shepard.”

I escorted her back to the CIC, Mordin joking about strange noises coming from the conference room, before I headed up to my cabin to shower and change. Heading back downstairs, Kelly wished me goodnight with a kiss on the cheek, told me to have fun, and I could only walk away, wondering how she was so understanding. I clearly liked her, she clearly liked me, but she knew I had others, yet she accepted. It spoke of her character as a person.

She deserved better than me, to be honest. So did most of the women I was with, but they accepted me for who I was. So maybe I was just lucky.

Gianna was already home when I knocked on her door, greeted with a smile, a very long hug and a nice kiss. She didn’t ask about work as I didn’t really want to talk about that while with her, and she didn’t want to talk about hers. Talking about life while I was gone wasn’t too bad, as at least I could fill in the gaps of her life.

She prepared another Italian dish for us, this one a vegetarian offering, which I didn’t mind at all, as the sauce was divine and the filling was… filling. The wine she chose for it was perfect for the dish, really bringing out the flavours. We sat at the table for a couple of hours, drinking and chatting away about any topic that took our fancy, and she was certainly well versed in a number of subjects. I’d always loved women with a brain. I don’t understand men who go after airheads.

Eventually the conversation did slow down though as our inventions with one another were obvious. So I asked to simply wait for just one moment as I opened my omni-tool. “_What’s up, Shepard? I take it this isn’t a social call.”_

“No, it isn’t, Miranda. Everyone has the day off tomorrow. We’ll complete the second recruitment the day after. Once I disconnect, I will be turning my omni-tool on silent until the morning after next. Unless the Collectors suddenly invade Illium, you are in command until I return.”

_“Okay, Shepard. I’ll make sure you are undisturbed until then.”_

“Thanks, Miranda. I’ll see you later.”

Disconnecting the call, I immediately silenced every possible notification then closed it up before looking back at Gianna. “Well, I guess I’m not going to work either then.”

“I was hoping you would say that.”

She grabbed my hand and led me into her bedroom, turning and kissing me as she started to undress me first. When I wanted to take off her shirt or skirt, she slapped my hand away. “Wait, Shepard.” So I did, continuing to kiss her as my jacket and shirt were taken off, she asked me to at least take off my shoes, before I had my jeans and underwear taken off as well. Standing in front of her naked didn’t bother me as she simply took a step back, looking me up and down. “Damn, you’re a good looking man, Shepard.”

“Thanks. It’s not all natural nowadays due to be basically rebuilt.”

“Oh, I remember what you looked like back on Noveria, Shepard. Trust me, very little has changed. Maybe fewer scars and your tattoos aren’t there, but other than that, just the same.” She stepped forward, taking my cock in her hand, feeling it thicken as she kissed me again, gently stroking me to hardness within a few seconds. “Want me to blow you?” she asked quietly.

“You’re seriously asking that question?”

“I want to hear you say it, Shepard.”

“I want nothing more than your lips wrapped around my cock, Gianna.”

“I love a man who knows what he wants. Now, second question. Do you want me to swallow or do you want to give me a facial?”

“What would you prefer?”

“I’m asking you, Shepard. One of two choices.”

“I want to mark you like…” I paused and immediately though _Shit._

She simply smirked. “Like the others, Shepard?” She laughed to herself. “I know about them. Well, I know I’m not the only one.”

“And you tolerate it?”

She stepped forward and kissed me hard, slipping her tongue into my mouth as she stroked me. I couldn’t help the groan into her mouth that made her break the kiss and laugh. “Of course I tolerate it, because I really fucking like you, Shepard.”

“Feeling is mutual then.”

“Good.” She kissed me again before moving across my cheek to my neck, which actually caused goosebumps to pop up as she kissed down my chest, actually focusing on my nipples, which felt rather nice, before she kissed down over my abdomen, eventually getting down on her knees, placing the cock on her face. “That’s how big you are, Shepard. You could blind a woman with this thing.”

“I think it needs to go somewhere other than your eye.”

She teased me first, of course. God, just the feeling of her tongue running along my shaft sent shivers up my spine. Running her tongue underneath caused an involuntary shudder and when she focused on my balls, I definitely groaned. The teasing went on for quite a while before she finally took my length in her mouth, ever so slowly taking a little bit more each time. Running a hand through her thick, dark hair, she looked up at me and smiled despite my cock being in her mouth. I could only smile back at her. “You are beautiful,” I whispered.

“You’re just saying that because I’m sucking your cock, Shepard.”

“That does help.”

I was never going to last long. She was simply too good and she’d turned me on completely. When I warned her I was close, she removed her mouth and simply waited as I stroked my cock for all of thirty seconds before I unloaded all over her face. She laughed, exclaiming it was warm, before she asked me to take a photo. I would have asked, but she sounded serious, so I used my omni-tool to take one. I then grabbed a towel so she could clean her face, throwing that in the laundry pile nearby as I helped her up. “Well, now I’m marked, Shepard. Next time, I’ll just swallow it because otherwise it’s a waste.”

“God broke the mould when He made you, Gianna.”

“No, He just brought you into my life and I thank Him every day.”

Now she allowed me to undress her. I did it ever so slowly, kissing and touching each bit of exposed skin. She watched me intently, gasping and breathing deeply whenever I touched a sensitive area. Once I had her down to a gorgeous red lingerie pairing, I stood up and pulled her close. “That for me?” I asked.

“Of course.”

“I almost don’t want to take them off.”

I stepped back and snapped another photo. She laughed before she pulled a seductive pose, snapping that one as well. Taking hold of her again, we fell onto the bed as I did remove her bra and panties, leaving her naked below me as I sat on my knees. She bit her lip as her eyes met mine. Not shy at all, spreading her legs slightly to show me how wet she was.

“So I have you all day tomorrow?” she asked quietly.

“You do? What would you like to do?”

“Go on a date.”

“Done.”

I must have spent the next hour and more teasing, licking, sucking, biting, caressing, fondling her body. Any sensitive part I could find was focused on. I ignored her pussy for ages, earning the occasional groan of frustration as I teased her, though she loved every single second. We made out constantly as I’d brush my cock against her pussy, feeling her move, desperate for me to enter her. “Not yet,” I’d whisper. She’d plead and beg for something, but I’d simply keep teasing her, which eventually make her giggle. It was a sound I loved.

Even I had to give in eventually though, finally lowering my mouth to her sex. The moan she released when I did that was probably heard around her apartment block. And she came within a couple of minutes at best. She couldn’t take anymore, immediately tapping my head. As I lifted myself up, she almost burst into tears, wrapping her arms around me as I held her on my side. “Sorry, just… lots of emotion right now,” she sobbed into my chest.

“Is it the me coming back?”

“A little of that. A little of ‘no man has ever made me feel that good in my life’ sort of thing. God, I had no idea an orgasm could be that powerful. I wanted to cry before you even made me cum.”

“Making you feel as good as you made feel, Gianna.”

It was only a quick little cry before she settled down, and after I’d dried her cheeks, we continued to make out, resting for a little while. We had all night, there was no rush. We had the next day and night, definitely no rush. I was going to savour every single moment.

Gianna gave in first, finding myself pushed onto my back as she swung a leg over my body, straddling my groin, feeling my cock pressed against her sex. She leaned forward, a hand to either side of me, a smirk on her face. “Well, that feels nice and hard, Shepard. I could now just sit here and do nothing, and you’d be powerless to stop me.” I raised an eyebrow at that, which made her laugh. “Oh, I think you’d do it if I ask you to do it.” She has me there.

Lifting herself up, I looked down to see my cock slowly disappear inside her, lifting my eyes to watch her face, the smile broadening as she lowered herself down until the entire length was inside her. Then she sat still again, leaning forward once again. “Want me to move?” she asked quietly.

“I’m loving the feeling as it is.”

“I don’t want you to move. Let me do all the work.”

“Sure?” She nodded. “I can touch you thought, right?”

“Back or breasts. No hands near my pussy.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She rode me so slowly, it drove me crazy, but it was definitely something for her benefit as the sounds she made suggested it was going to be a long road to an orgasm, but when it arrived, it was going to be as good as the one she’d just had. I didn’t touch her breasts or her back. I ran my fingers through her hair or gently caressed her face, occasionally leaning up to kiss her. That did change the angle, which made her gasp, and she did eventually ask me to bend my legs, which made her moan louder. “That’s the spot,” she whispered.

She took ages to up the tempo but when she finally started to ride me, she grabbed my hands, locking our fingers together, really starting to bounce up and down on my cock. I watched her, just mesmerised by her body, her face, her joy at the sex we were sharing. “Oh god!” she cried out. I felt her started to squeeze my cock, so I knew she was getting close. I didn’t say a word, just watching her, all the emotions expressed on her face, telling me everything she was feeling. “Shepard!” she moaned quietly.

Her head rolled back and she cried out as she almost squeezed my cock like a vice, her body seeming to shudder from her toes to her fingertips. She didn’t stop riding though, practically convulsing on top of me. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” she cried out, resting a hand on my chest, now really driving herself down onto my cock. That’s when she released a sob, immediately reaching up to caress her face. “Not stopping,” she whispered, “I need this.”

I’d still barely moved and watching her practically now impale herself was something else, each movement down harder and faster than the previous one. Her tears rolled down her cheeks, dropping onto my chest. I understood why, so I simply dried them when I saw them. Her second orgasm was just as good as her first, and she couldn’t keep going as she slammed herself down once, twice, then a third time before she released an almost guttural moan and practically passed out, grabbing hold of her and resting her on my chest, immediately embracing her.

“I love you, Shepard,” she whispered.

I knew those words had been coming since the day we’d first met. They’d definitely been coming since the day I walked through her door again.

And I knew I felt the same way.

So I bit the bullet for the first time since Annie.

“I love you too.” She lifted her head. The smile returned made my heart swell, leaning forward to kiss her before I ran the back of my fingers down her cheek. “Can’t deny it.”

She lifted herself up so my cock fell out, then made sure her head was above mine as she kissed me hard, and it didn’t take long for her to end up on her back, where I could slide inside her again. It didn’t take long for me to finish as I was so utterly turned on, I warned her I was definitely going to pass out once I’d cum, which simply made her giggle. She pulled her legs back, feeling myself go even deeper inside her, making her moan again and again. When I came, I made sure I was already resting on a forearm so I could catch myself, as I felt so light-headed, if I’d been standing up, I’d have collapsed to the ground.

Feeling her fingers run up and down my back, I eventually lifted myself up so I could meet her eyes. I had one question only. “What happens now?”

“Nothing has to change, Shepard. I think it was just about time we actually admitted we loved each other. I’ve known since Noveria. I carried it with me after you died. I mourned you for a long time. The idea of even dating again was horrible. And then, my prayers were answered. You came back.”

“My feelings were intense on Noveria,” I admitted, “But I knew the moment I saw you here. I had no idea. As I said, I was prepared to go back to Noveria to find you.”

I lowered myself onto the bed next to her, Gianna rolling into me. As she rested against me, I knew I had the largest grin on my face, closing my eyes and just enjoying the sensation of her once again. I think I even fell asleep for a little while as I was gently shaken away, Gianna asking if I wanted a shower. I suggested a relaxing bath, which she definitely loved the sound of, so after running the water, I lowered myself in first, Gianna joining me, leaning back against me. I nearly fell asleep again, Gianna laughing again. “It’s been a long day,” I explained.

“We’ll go to bed after this. To sleep, that is.”

Heading to bed later, Gianna shuffled backwards so her body was practically aligned to mine, grabbing my hands and holding them in her own. “Goodnight,” she whispered.

“Goodnight,” I whispered back.

The next day was everything we both wanted. We made love in morning, slow, soft and tender, our orgasms almost a mere afterthought. After breakfast and a shower, we dressed and headed out into Nos Astra. We wandered around aimlessly, hoping to find something that might gain our interest, though the only thing that really mattered was being together. I hadn’t been on a date since Annie. I’d been with quite a few women, but had I enjoyed a date like that? No.

We did find a little café for lunch before we went searching for some natural beauty. It was limited within Nos Astra, so hailed a cab and asked if there was anything nearby. We were eventually taken to a park, which was obviously artificial, but it had lakes, trees, grass, and everything else you would expect. We walked hand in hand around the park, and actually received a few stares from asari. I guess they didn’t get many human couples in this area of Nos Astra. We bought some ice cream as we wandered, taking a seat on a bench and taking in the view, spending a little time making out at the same time.

After a few hours there, we headed back into the centre of town, back to her apartment, where I looked for a place for us to have dinner. “Do you like to dance?” I asked.

“Yes. But can you?”

“No. But I’m willing if you are.”

As she changed, I headed back to the ship quickly for a change of clothes, returning in trousers and a pressed shirt with jacket as she opened the door to reveal her dressed in what could only be described as a little black dress. How she didn’t end up backed up onto the couch and having various things done to her was a lesson in self-control.

I found us reservations at a restaurant with great reviews. It sold mostly asari food but Gianna didn’t mind. It was the sort of place perfect for couples. Each table was lit but otherwise, there was plenty of privacy. We ordered a number of dishes to share, trying everything, enjoying a bottle or two of asari wine at the same time. Again, the conversation just seemed to flow. She did touch on what I was doing, and I was honest about everything. I didn’t tell her about the fact it might end with a suicide mission. It wasn’t the time.

After dinner, we headed to a nearby bar. A trio of asari were on stage, playing what must have been traditional instruments. It was a relaxing atmosphere, Gianna moulding herself into my body whenever we stepped onto the dancefloor, just swaying to the music, occasional sharing a little kiss, but otherwise I just enjoyed holding her in my arms. We stayed until the lights came on and they needed to close, walking out in the cool night air. I offered my jacket, wrapping it around her bare shoulders as we walked back to her apartment.

Heading straight to her bedroom, we didn’t take our time that evening. Clothing was definitely removed with haste, and there was practically little foreplay. I was hard. She was wet. That’s all we needed. When she got down on all fours, I definitely smiled, giving her perfect arse a light slap. I slid my cock inside her and immediately pulled her back against me, my lips and teeth finding her neck, one hand fondling a breast, the other fondling her clit as I gently thrust into her.

“I love you,” she breathed.

“I love you,” I whispered into her ear.

We made love for hours, or so it seemed. She’d enjoy an orgasm. I’d enjoy one. We’d stop for a little while. Then we’d continue where we left off. Any position we could think of, we tried. Nothing ridiculous. Real life wasn’t porn, it had to be enjoyable. I did like it when I proved my strength by pinning her against a wall and fucking her standing up. She loved running her hands over the muscles on my back and down my arms.

I have no idea what time it was when we finally just fell asleep, completely worn out after the day we’d had. The only reason I woke up was due to my alarm, glancing to see that it was time for me to leave. I didn’t like the thought at all, but I had a job to do. Gianna had been woken up by it, immediately rolling over to cuddle into me.

Grabbing her hand, I led her into the shower where we both washed, with a little kissing and cuddling at the same time. I dressed and headed to the kitchen, preparing us some breakfast. She walked in a little later, dressed for work, and we ate together in silence, swapping glances and smiles nearly every few seconds.

But it was soon time to go, so after she’d locked up her apartment, I took her by the hand and walked with her all the way to her office. Only there did we kiss again, and the only reason I stopped kissing her was that my omni-tool beeped. The groan of frustration made her giggle as I opened it up. “What?” I growled.

“_I assume you’re not coming for breakfast then?”_ Garrus asked.

“No, I’m quite busy right now, Garrus. I told Miranda…”

_“Yeah, yeah, she’s told us already. Just making sure you haven’t got into trouble. Or run off.”_

I glanced at Gianna and smirked. “Thought might have crossed my mind more than once. Look, I’ll be there in around fifteen minutes. I know we’ve got shit to do so keep your panties on.”

_“But I don’t… Oh, another one of those human things. Spirits.”_

He disconnected and I resumed kissing Gianna until I finally had to break apart. “I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be here for, Gianna.”

She rested a hand on my chest. “Yesterday was perfect, Shepard. So… I’m sure you won’t be here much longer, and I know you’re busy. Can I ask one thing?”

“Anything.”

“Keep in contact with me. Let me know how you are. And come back to see me before you need to go through that relay. And when you come back through, just let me know you’re alive. That will be enough.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure, Shepard. Yesterday was the best day of my life. Last night was perfect. It’s the best way to part for now. I know you’ll be back. I don’t have to live in hope anymore.”

I kissed and hugged her before she let me go and turned to open the door into her office. She glanced back and smiled, told me that she loved me again, before she slowly closed the door and disappeared. With a sigh, I started my walk back to the _Normandy_ and the next mission.

I know I walked back with a smile on my face the entire time.


	29. Book 2, Chapter 10 - The Matriarch

Liara hadn’t been as full of information regarding the Justicar as she had about Thane. But that just meant we had to make do with what we had, though she did have some suggestions. “She is asari, so she’ll be biotic. And Justicars live by different rules to anyone else, Shepard. They live by a strict code. Black and white. Right and wrong. There is no grey area to a Justicar, Shepard.”

“She might be the perfect recruit then.”

“She will no doubt be willing to work alongside yourself, Shepard. Some of your allies might not be as appealing.”

“Are we talking Cerberus or also others?”

“Both, Shepard. I’m sure she will let you explain the Cerberus connection. But someone like Zaeed? Well, that could prove awkward.”

“Do you know about him?”

“I’ve researched everyone I can who I know is part of your ship, Shepard. I simply want to make sure…”

“I appreciate it, Liara. Don’t worry.”

She gestured for me to join her, rounding her desk as she showed me a map of the area. Leaning down, I inhaled the scent of her perfume. “The warehouse area is teeming with Eclipse mercenaries, Shepard. I know you’ve already dealt with them at Dantius Towers, but word would have reached the entire organisation that you’re here, and they’ll be wanting blood.”

“Well, all the more reason to locate a Justicar then.”

“You can catch a cab and land there. From that position, your only option is walking. Eclipse will have constant patrols, and they will control the area. You will be entering a heavily defended area, and they will certainly not take kindly to your arrival.”

“Well, I’d hate to disappoint them by not showing up now.”

That made her laugh. “I’m sure I’ll read all about it on the news tomorrow.”

I kissed her cheek, and when she turned her face, I paused a moment before she leaned forward, the kiss immediately deep and meaningful, feeling her breath out her nose as she managed to stand up out of her chair, sliding in between me and the desk as she sat up on her desk. I remembered the rather innocent Liara letting me take the lead. She was certainly wanting to take control right now but then she stopped suddenly. “Not now, Shepard. You need to go soon.”

“Sorry. Your perfume, and then… well, you… and…”

“Are you with Gianna tonight?”

“No, we spent all day yesterday together. It was… the perfect ending. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be here, but she asked I just keep in contact.”

“Come to my apartment tonight, Shepard.” I raised my eyebrows as she added, “For dinner. And then for sex.” I couldn’t help chuckle. “I might as well be blunt, Shepard. I haven’t had sex since you died.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “I didn’t want to commit to anyone as I was confident Cerberus would bring you back. And I’ve been far too busy to worry about personal relationships anyway. My fingers or vibrators do the job if I’m horny.”

“Okay, I’ll join you tonight, Liara. You’ll have my undivided attention until tomorrow morning.”

“Good, because I’m going to be blunt again, Shepard. I really need you to fuck me.”

“Done.” I paused before adding, “I like this new Liara. Knows what she wants and will just simply get it.”

“I just remember what it was like, Shepard. Some of the things we got up to. Goddess, we had such fun together, and with some of the others. I know it’s a little different now, but that means I just get you alone now, and I’m not going to waste the opportunity.”

I leaned forward and kissed her hard, her arms immediately wrapping around me. I lifted her up, legs immediately wrapping me too as I carried her across to the nearby couch. I continued to make out with her as my hands went underneath her dress, looking for her panties. She broke the kiss. “Shepard,” she breathed.

“Will anyone walk in?”

“No.”

“Then fuck it. You’re getting fucked right now.”

A smile lit up her face as her hands immediately went to my jeans, undoing the belt the lowering the fly as I dragged off her panties, lifting her dress to reveal her bald, blue pussy. I lowered my mouth to taste her first, earning a moan as I lapped at her, just to tease her, enjoying it immediately as I was reminded of all the times we’d been together on the old _Normandy_. Then I stopped and lifted myself up, gently sliding my cock inside her.

It was nothing but a hard, fast fuck, Liara digging her fingers into my shirt as she spread her legs nice and wide. “Goddess, just fuck me, Shepard.”

I didn’t reply, just focusing on lasting as long as possible. “Well, one thing I know straight away is that you’re as tight as I remember, Liara.”

“My pussy has only ever had your cock in it, Shepard. It was made just for you.”

I kissed her hard for that as I upped my tempo further. I didn’t know if I’d get Liara off in such a manner. The look on her face suggested she was just enjoying being fucked by me again. Gently grabbing the back of her neck, I kissed her hard again as I really started to pound her, the sound of my cock thrusting into her over and over again the only sound apart from her moans and my grunting.

Then I noticed her eyes darken and I knew what she wanted to do. I closed my eyes and simply waited for the meld. I felt her search my mind, discovering what had happened to me since I’d woken up. I hid nothing as I had nothing to hide. She saw my opinions of certain people. She definitely saw who I’d been intimate with.

And she saw my relationship with Gianna. That made her gently break the meld.

The fact she was smiling almost caused me to stop completely. “You finally told her?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Good. Time to stop denying those feelings you have for all these women you like to be with. But only admit it when you feel ready and certain.” She kissed me softly on the cheek as I knew those words were aimed at me in regards to her as well. “You’ve stopped, Shepard. I need you to cum in me then I really need to get back to work.”

She got what she wanted a couple of minutes later, burying myself before I came hard. As I recovered, we continued to make out before I needed to pull out. All she did was roll her dress down and hand me her panties. “Keep them, Shepard. I don’t mind the idea of your cum trickling down my legs while I sit in rather dull meetings.”

“Okay, I am _really_ liking the new Liara.”

She put a finger underneath my chin. “Just wait until tonight then, Shepard.”

“Oh, I’m definitely looking forward to it now.”

Once I’d cleaned myself up and was ready to go, she escorted me to her office door, sharing a last kiss, before I wandered out. Nyxeris gave me a look, and I had a feeling a lot of people were aware of what we’d just done. I simply smiled at her and wished her good afternoon. Back on the _Normandy_, I gathered the team I’d originally selected. Garrus, of course. Miranda and Jack, due to the biotics, and Grunt, because I didn’t mind having another shotgun wielding lunatic alongside me. I was tempted to take more, but if we were in the tight confines of a warehouse, I figured any more would cause confusion in our own ranks.

“Catching up with Liara?” Garrus asked after I’d thrown on armour, grabbed my weapons, now heading back off the ship.

“Yep.”

“Shepard, it’s obvious what you were up to. You have this… aura about you after you’d done the deed.”

Jack chuckled behind me. “Fucking hell, Shepard, who haven’t you fucked yet?”

“Miranda,” I replied immediately, making sure I looked at her when I did. The fact she looked away but seemed to almost blush wasn’t the reaction I expected. “And most of the regular crew as well. Chakwas. Kasumi. So there are a few people I haven’t, Jack.”

“I’m still waiting for you to come downstairs again, throw me around a little then just pound my tight little arse.”

Garrus was gone after that. He had to stop walking due to his laughter, leaning against a nearby wall. Grunt I think understood but didn’t at the same time. Miranda looked like she wanted a hole in the ground to just swallow her hole. Jack? She just looked smug. “It’s still on my to do list, Jack,” I retorted.

“But you fucked that asari?”

“We’ve known each other a long time,” I replied as we moved on, “She was by my side on the old Normandy.”

“Fuck her then too?”

“If you really want to know, I had Ashley, who you met on Horizon, Liara, her mother, Benezia, Tali and also Shiala. And that’s just the women on the ship. I had others here and there.”

That’s when Jack turned to Miranda. “You know all about this, cheerleader?”

Miranda looked ready to say something else, but eventually she just said, “Yes, it was all in his file.”

“I have to ask. Is your cock the same as it was before, Shepard?”

I chuckled but nodded too. “Yes, I look in the mirror naked and everything is the same, Jack.”

“Well, no wonder they all wanted to fuck you then. Nothing like a good, deep dicking to make people co-operative.”

“Hang on, does that explain you, Jack?” Garrus wondered.

She shrugged. “A little bit. I play ball with him, I get a good hard fuck occasionally. What, you think I’m into romance and shit? Fuck off, bird brain. Sex is a means of release. He cums, I cum, we’re both happy, then he can fuck off and do what he wants otherwise. If he wants to get a little rough, even better.”

“So you treat sex as a combat sport?” Miranda wondered.

“It’s not as fun if you don’t end up with at least a couple of bruises.”

Conversation ceased as we caught a couple of cabs in the direction of where Liara had told me to go. We landed at a spaceport, noticing a line of freighters in the middle of being loaded. Stepping out of the cab, there was a small group of people around, including a couple of asari that seemed to be in charge, and also a volus, who appeared to be under question. Approaching the asari, one of them raised a hand. “Sorry, this is a crime scene.”

“What happened?”

“Someone was murdered. I can’t tell you too much else.”

“I’m here to find someone. A Justicar by the name of Samara.”

Her eyes narrowed, immediately suspicious. “What would a human want with a Justicar?”

I pointed at myself. “My name’s Shepard. Council Spectre. I’m looking for Samara as I am recruiting for an important mission.”

She thumbed behind her. “Then I can only suggest you go speak with my superior, Detective Anaya. Only she can give you access to the crime scene. Before you ask, Samara is already back there, but you’re not a Justicar. And we don’t particularly appreciate Spectres sticking their nose in around here. This isn’t Council Space.”

“Not here to ruffle feathers. I’ll go talk to Anaya.” I glanced back. “You guys wait here, I’ll be back shortly.”

“Try not to trip and slip your dick in her too, Shepard,” Jack joked.

I chuckled to myself as I walked towards the door leading into a small office. There were only a couple of asari around, and when I asked for the detective, she looked in my direction and waved me over. She looked me up and down, noticing the armour and weapons. “Hmmm. Don’t get many humans in these parts. You… Alliance?”

“Spectre.”

“Well, there’s only one human Spectre and he’s dead.”

“Don’t take notice of the news? I’m back from the dead.” I offered my hand. “Shepard, looking for Justicar Samara.”

She took the hand briefly before asking, “Why are looking for her?”

“Important mission and I’m busy recruiting. Her name came highly recommended.”

“You know what, you take her off my hands, I think you’ll make all our lives a little easier. She’s currently investigating the murder that recently took place here. You have my permission to access the crime scene.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me yet. The place is crawling with Eclipse mercenaries.”

“I’m not worried about them. Already killed plenty.”

She put two and two together, quickly laughing to herself. “Dantius Towers?”

“Bingo.”

“Goddess, they’re still clearing the bodies out of there. What the hell was that all about?”

“I was recruiting.”

“You have an interesting recruitment process, Shepard. Anyway, head on back and watch your back at the same time. Eclipse mercenaries are unscrupulous bitches. Trying to keep a lid on their activities is impossible. If they’re wearing yellow, you’re best just shooting them.”

“I had the same philosophy at the towers.”

I was just about ready to leave when she added one more thing. “Just so you know, Shepard. My superiors have ordered me to detain the Justicar. They may operate with impunity in asari space, but life here is a little different. But if I detain her, she has her code and… well, if we hold her too long, she’ll kill us too.” I definitely raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Their code cannot be broken, Shepard. It’s deadly serious.”

“Right, I’ll work quickly.”

After gathering the others, we headed into the narrow paths in between the mountains of crates and boxes that towered above us. We were all armed and ready, waiting for the Eclipse to show their faces. When we finally ran into the first small group, I grinned and charged, colliding with one asari, immediately blasting with my shotgun, dead before she hit the ground. I then stepped into cover as fire rained down where I had been standing. Jack came running up and released a shockwave.

With so little room for manoeuvre, we had to be careful not to shoot each other, never mind being shot by the enemy. I was confident Garrus had found elevation, hearing his rifle crack every few seconds. I charged when I could, but I eventually took the rifle from my back and used that instead, leaving Jack and Miranda to link up. As for Grunt, I think he got a little frustrated by the tight confines, but he was a bullet sponge at least, nearly all fire being directed towards him.

Gunfire eventually ceased and we stepped out to see a pile of dead mercenaries. Most were asari but there was the occasional salarian, though when I found a human, I couldn’t hide my surprise at all. “I thought they were asari only?”

“I don’t know that much about them, but they have started recruiting humans recently,” Miranda replied, “The salarians have been part of the ranks for centuries due to their tech knowledge.”

“Well, learn something new every day.”

There were no other welcoming parties, eventually crossing another line of police tape and passing into another area. An asari mercenary went flying towards us, landing with a sickening crunch that suggested she was already dead. I checked to see a trickle of blood drip down her head from the wound. Looking up, I noticed another Eclipse mercenary on her arse, scrambling backwards as a tall, elegant asari matriarch, dressed in red armour, slowly closed on her like a predator. I gestured everyone lower their weapon as the pair shared words, neither aware of our presence.

When the Eclipse mercenary raised a hidden weapon, the other asari summoned her biotics and casually threw the mercenary across the room. “Fucking hell,” I muttered.

“Well, I like her already. That sort of power as an ally,” Jack added.

We approached cautiously as the asari closed on her now frightened quarry. No idea what words they shared, but I noticed the foot go to the throat, and with a twist, we didn’t miss the sound of a snapped neck. “Okay, I like her,” Jack said.

The asari then turned towards us, casually taking in our number, the fact most of us were armoured, carrying weapons, though we were clearly not there to cause trouble. Yet.

"My name is Samara, a servant of the Justicar Code. My quarrel is with these Eclipse sisters, but I see five well-armed people before me. Are we friend or foe?"

I stored my weapon. “Oh, we are definitely friends, Justicar,” I stated, “Why are you here though?”

“These mercenaries have information in regards to a person I am tracking. Unfortunately, they have proven unwilling to assist me with my enquiries so far.”

“Do you often execute people like that?” Miranda asked. I guess she was a little put off by it.

"I answer to a code that is clearly defined. If my actions are true to that code, then I am just. If they are not, then I am unjust."

“Wish my life was that easy sometimes,” I muttered.

“Anyone who wants to wipe out mercenaries is okay with me,” Garrus added.

“You know my name. Who are you?” Samara asked.

“Shepard.”

“Ah, yes, Commander Shepard. Word of your return has reached my ears. It pleases me to know you are well.” I raised eyebrows at that. “No matter what the ships were that attacked the Citadel, it was thanks to your actions that we are once again at peace.”

“Not quite, which is why I’m here. Ever heard of the Collectors?”

“I have heard rumours of them on my travels.”

“They’re attacking human colonies, taking everyone. I’m putting together a team to stop them. You come highly recommended.”

"I am humbled that you would approach me, Shepard. But I seek an incredibly dangerous fugitive."

“No problem. We can help with that before leaving Illium.”

A momentary grin appeared, a brief nod of the head in thanks. "I have tracked this fugitive for many years. I finally had her, right here. But then these Eclipse sisters smuggled her off-world. I need to find the name of the ship she left on before her trail goes cold once again."

Before I could offer help and suggestions, our conversation was interrupted by the detective I had spoken to earlier, I guess confident enough to approach now that most of the mercenaries were dead. "I wish you were willing to just leave with the human, Justicar. I've been ordered to take you into custody if you won't leave the area."

"That won't be a problem, detective. Shepard has already offered his services." She turned to look at me, keeping up a friendly appearance for now. "Shepard, while I assist the detective, can you find the name of the ship for me?"

“Sure. Any leads?”

“Speak to a volus named Pitne For. He will guide the way.”

We spoke to the volus, who was surprisingly helpful, as he seemed to be caught up in trouble of his own, so probably figured helping us helped himself at the same time. He also had some more warnings about the Eclipse, that I kept in the back of my mind. The last thing the volus gave us was a pass card that would allow entry into what was basically the Eclipse base, so I knew we were going to face another army of them.

“Want to call in some others?” Miranda asked.

“No. There’s you and Jack with biotics, Grunt and I as the tanks, and Garrus taking the head off anyone dumb enough to get in his sights. I think we’ll be right.”

Heading out, what we realised straight after passing through the entryway of their base was that, this time, Eclipse knew we were coming and they had prepared for our arrival. I didn’t expect the number of mechs were first encountered, simple VI machines that we managed to take down rather easily. I’m fairly sure Miranda even managed to hack a couple, turning them from enemies into allies, watching as they simply turned and fired at other mechs, those mechs being fired at to turn at other mechs. We could actually just stand and watch before moving on.

The Eclipse had dug in, and we remained cautious entering any corridor or open room, always searching for cover before I’d burst forward with another biotic charge. Their numbers were few to start with, but we still had to work had to get them out of cover then riddle them with bullets before moving on. I had one rule as we moved on. No prisoners. And there was not a murmur of disagreement to that order.

Surprisingly, Jack and Miranda seemed to work well together. They didn’t share a word, but they hooked up their biotics as if they’d been doing it for years, watching Miranda lift and pull plenty of mercenaries out of cover, Jack flinging warps and shockwaves at them. As for Garrus, he was always patient, waiting for either one of the biotics to lift someone or he’d wait until there was a moment when a mercenary would show their head then CRACK! The mercenary lost their head.

As we moved, we checked the bodies for the information Samara wanted, or any other information that might come in handy for later. We’d already dealt one major blow to them at Dantius Towers, so wiping out their presence here could exactly be a bad thing. We found one or two minor notes in regards to other operations that I’d pass on to Detective Anaya.

While we were moving, Garrus did grab my attention too, crouching over a pair of bodies. “Shepard, look at this. I’ve noticed something both times. These two are obviously Eclipse, but see the differences,” he gestured as he explained, “I think this one on the left if fully-fledged Eclipse. It’s not just the armour itself, this asari is definitely older than her counterpart here. See the different markings?”

“Yeah, what of it?”

“I think this must be an initiate. Remember what Pitne for told us? Anyone in that armour to the left has already committed murder. This one on the right? Obviously part of the gang but hasn’t killed yet.”

“While true, they are still trying to kill us, Garrus.”

“Oh, I’m not saying we don’t shoot back. But it’s something worthwhile remembering. Perhaps we do catch one or two initiates, take their armour and weapons, give them a firm kick up the arse and just send them crying home to mother. Worth thinking about.”

“If presented the opportunity, I’ll think about it.”

We moved on, running into more Eclipse mercenaries, searching every room we passed by, Miranda hacking into terminals, though nothing we found was terribly interesting. While I don’t think the business taking place was entirely legitimate, much of the cargo leaving the area was legal in Council Space.

Finding a locked door, Miranda hacked that one before I stepped in. Hearing a noise, I raised my shotgun as a young asari leapt out from cover, pistol in her hand but she immediately raised both. “Don’t shoot!” she cried.

“Drop the weapon!”

She didn’t, and I took a step forward, sensing the others enter and forming to either side of me. "I didn't shoot! Honest! My name is Elnora. I'm only here because all my sisters were watching me. I… I thought being a mercenary would be fun but…”

I stored my shotgun and she sighed with relief, though only so I could take the pistol from my hip, aimed, and shot her through the head. “Think I’m sort of idiot,” I muttered as I walked to her body, watching blood pool on the ground, her eyes now staring blankly at the ceiling. “You’re wearing the wrong armour, love. You’ve killed someone already.”

“Okay, remind me never to fuck with you, Shepard,” Jack stated with humour, “Goddamn, no hesitation whatsoever.”

“You should know by now I won’t accept bullshit, Jack. Anyway, let’s move on.”

Moving deeper into their base, the number of Eclipse grew. Grunt and I now really got to work, the enormous krogan simply charging head first, his enormous shotgun blasting at anything in yellow. I would summon my biotics and zip across the room, slamming into Eclipse, firing my own shotgun more than once, before doing the same again. More than once I ended up being fired at, only quick thinking as my shields failed saving me from taking serious wounds. But I found this method of fighting more enjoyable, certainly far more adrenaline pumping than how I’d fought before.

Miranda and Jack continued to work together, often supporting me by warping or pulling mercenaries I hadn’t taken care of after I’d charged into them. Jack continued to send more mercenaries flying as she fired shockwaves, even watching them fly up and over piled up boxes and storage crates, hearing her laugh away.

Moving through more offices, some mercenaries tried to catch us off guard, waiting until we had passed by, firing from behind, though they simply ended up with a bullet in their back from Garrus. He saved us more than once thanks to that. We tried to clear each and every room, but sometimes we’d try and door, find it locked, and simply move on.

Continuing to check terminals as we moved, we did find something I found somewhat interesting, Miranda playing a recent audio file.

"_Well, it's official. Little baby Elnora is finally a fully-fledged Eclipse merc. I earned my uniform last night when I killed that ridiculous volus. Up close, exploding rounds. Blew the little bastard's suit wide open. Hah! I can't wait to see some real action. Next time I go home, my friends are going to be so jealous!"_

“Looks like Pitne For is innocent at least,” Miranda stated, immediately downloading the information to her omni-tool, “I’ll make sure this gets to the right people, Shepard.”

“You know, Shepard, she’s not the first, and she’s not the last,” Garrus stated.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, think about what I was up to on Omega. I must have killed hundreds of these idiots, whether they were Eclipse, Blue Suns or Blood Pack. Asari leave their nests when they’re around what, one hundred or so?”

“Maybe earlier, but yeah, Liara mentioned during their maiden phase that they leave home looking for adventure.”

“And what do they do? Many seem to either join mercenary groups like this, or end up dancing or selling their bodies around the galaxy. I’m not complaining, everyone is aware the asari are quite sexualised people. They have no shame in enjoying sex.”

“I know, Garrus,” I stated, unable to hide the smirk.

“But, in the end, you hear stuff like this, then see all the young asari we put on the ground, and doesn’t a part of you think what a waste it all is?”

“I see your point, but they make the choice, Garrus. I’m all for adventure. I joined the Alliance for that reason as well.”

“That’s not the only reason, Shepard,” Miranda stated, “Something about running your own little empire… and a likely prison sentence…”

“Well, yeah, that too, but many who join the Alliance were like those first explorers who left Earth, that sense of adventure you had, heading into the unknown. I guess life for asari is… dull, for want of a better word. They’ve lived in peace for centuries. No wonder some crave the excitement and danger of being a mercenary. Still makes them idiots when shooting at me though.”

Moving on, we mowed down the opposition, though we took hits at the same time. Jack took a bullet in her arm, surprised to see Miranda scoop her up with an arm and take her behind cover. Jack swore at her, of course, though Miranda ignored it, simply applying medi-gel to the wound so Jack could get back into the action. Grunt had the best armour possible, most of his wounds on exposed skin, which was soon running slick with his own blood. He didn’t seem to care.

I took my first serious wound when a gunship appeared out of nowhere. Before I could react, it raked me with bullets, my shields failing immediately before I felt the next couple go straight through my armour. It was only the fact I charged ahead, blasting away a mercenary and leaping into cover, that saved my life.

“Okay, Shepard?” Miranda yelled.

“Not sure,” I shouted back, “Let me check.” I glanced down to see a couple of holes, one in my shoulder, the other into my side. “Fuck,” I muttered. I looked up to see the other four rushing to my position, Miranda immediately crouching in front of me. She actually looked concerned.

“Not your fault, Shepard. Fucking gunship came out of nowhere.”

“Yeah, what a bitch, eh?”

She pulled back the chest part of my armour and I definitely winced. She pulled me forward and said, “Bullet went straight through, Shepard. Give me a moment.” She applied medi-gel to both wounds. “Okay, that’ll do for now. What about the other one?” She moved my bloodied but gloved hand and I definitely hissed as she pressed my side, rolling me slightly. “Straight through as well, Shepard. You might have been shot twice but someone is looking after you.”

“Just apply the gel,” I stated through gritted teeth. Once she’d done that, she pressed the armoured pieces back into place.

“You good to go?”

“Yeah. Thanks,” I replied as she offered a hand to help me up. “Where’s the gunship?”

“Disappeared. It’ll be back though,” Garrus replied, “I’m thinking, Shepard. Same plan as Omega?”

“You got shot there, if I remember correctly.”

“Just get its attention, I’ll do the rest.”

So that’s what the four of us did, waiting for it to appear. I stepped out of cover and waved it over before flipping the bird, ducking into cover as it fired on our position. The four of us returned fired, causing its shields to fire. That’s when Garrus fired, watching the small hole appear in the canopy, the asari pilot immediately slumping forward in her seat, as the gunship veered off towards the ground. A few seconds later, flames billowed after the explosion.

All was quiet as we moved on, surprised we didn’t run into more Eclipse. I didn’t think we’d killed them all, so I could only assume they’d pulled back, waiting for us. Walking through more offices, we checked each one, but apart from finding a little information about what was being shipped, there were no more people around.

That is until we met a biotic volus. He was a rather amusing character, barely taking noticed of the five heavily armed people in front of him.

"I am a biotic god! Fear me, lesser creatures, for I am biotics made flesh!"

I got down on one knee so I was at his eye level. “Look here, my little friend. I am sure you are quite the noble warrior, and that armies have quacked at the sight of you on the battlefield.”

“That is true for I am destined for greatness. The races of the galaxy shall grow to fear me!”

“I’m sure they will. But we’re looking for the leader of this group of mercenaries. Do know where she is?” I said she as the leader would obviously be an asari.

"The next room. I am a great wind! I shall toss Wasea about like a rag doll!"

“Her name is Wasea? Perfect. Now, I think it’s time you have a little nap.” I gave him a shove and he fell to the ground. He stirred a few seconds later, obviously confused. “Are you okay?” I asked, as he didn’t seem to have a clue what was going on.

“What was I saying?”

“You were going to go home, sleep this all off.”

“Hmmm. Yes, sleep sounds nice actually.”

“Just watch where you are walking,” I suggested as he bumped off more than one wall as he staggered away. I chuckled to myself. “Fuck me, what next?”

Eclipse had pulled back and were waiting for our arrival. There were mercenaries all waiting for our arrival. We charged forward, firing either bullets or biotics. It was obvious that Wasea had a biotic barrier, so I left her to Jack and Miranda to start, immediately summoning biotics and charging into a group of the others. At such close quarters, I used the butt of my shotgun, slamming into the face of one, elbowing another, before quickly switching to my pistol, firing that into the face of a third. Charging away, I took a moment to assess, before charging again. Barrel straight into the chest, pull the trigger. Shields falter from a nearby burst of fire, turn and charge. Fire again before I leap behind cover, immediately turning to assess again. Miranda and Jack focused on Wasea. Grunt practically throwing mercenaries around for fun. Garrus nowhere to be seen but the crack of rifle could be heard.

There were no eyes on me, simply waiting for the biotic shield around Wasea to fail. She was exchanging fire with Miranda and Jack, obviously not noticing that most of her comrades in arms now lay dead. As soon as I saw her biotic shield falter, I charged. I arrived just as it completed failed, slamming into her. She was made of tough stuff, having turned as I arrived. But there was enough room for me to raise my shotgun with one hand, aim at her face, and fire.

“Okay, that was fucking disgusting,” Jack muttered as she and Miranda walked towards me.

“I don’t believe in drawn out gunfights. Kill them quick and move on.”

“You’ve adapted well to your new abilities, Shepard,” Miranda stated.

“Thanks. I actually find it rather enjoyable. Adrenaline certainly gets pumping.”

Grunt was busy ending the lives of anyone who was still breathing, Garrus appearing from cover as we found there was a small unit nearby that acted as an office. We searched for information and eventually found a datapad that I believed contained the information we wanted. There was no point hanging around after that so I ordered our little group to head back to where it all began.

Returning to Detective Anaya, the first thing I did was give the datapad to Samara. She was thankful for having retrieved it, and now that her mission was complete, she was free to join my crew. She then surprised me by taking a knee, lowering her head, fists on the ground, glowing blue as she flared her biotics, appearing to recite a new Code. When I asked what it was about, she said that my orders would now supersede her own Code during the duration of the mission. Miranda then forwarded Detective Anaya the information we had found, including the confession of Elnora, and a plethora of data we had taken in regards to the operations Eclipse had been running. She was rather thankful, Samara vouching as a Justicar in regards to anything we found.

Job done, I gathered everyone and we headed back to the _Normandy_. The others headed off as I showed Samara around, taking her through the same details as I’d told Thane. Chakwas would check her over, something that Samara seemed to find amusing, while Kelly would also talk to her as well. Other than that, it was simply a case of where she wanted to reside. She admitted to enjoying the idea of watching space as we travelled, so I offered her the opposing lounge to where Kasumi called home. She found that acceptable and shook my hand.

Walking into Miranda’s office after, she was actually sitting back on the lounge, looking rather drained as she drank from a water bottle. She was no longer surprised if I just walked in, though did ask, “Something on your mind, Shepard?”

“Just about what we’re doing next. If there’s nothing else for us here, I guess we’ll leave tomorrow?”

“I’ll see if I’ve received any news about another recruit but it’s your decision, Shepard. You don’t want to hang around for longer?”

“Part of me would like nothing more. But we do have a job to do, and the distraction isn’t helpful sometimes.”

“Okay, I’ll send a ship wide message letting the crew know we are departing tomorrow.”

“As long as they return by ten in the morning, ship time, we’ll try and leave by midday at the latest.”

“No problem, Shepard.”

“Thanks.”

Next stop was the med-bay, as I needed my wounds looked at. Taking off my chest armour and shirt, I lay back as Chakwas did what she needed. I winced and hissed a couple of times, as although the bullets had gone straight through, they still needed cleaning out. Medi-gel was a wonderful adventure but was still only a temporary solution. That’s why Chakwas was still needed on the ship. I was with her for a couple of hours before she told me I should be okay within a couple of days, and if I did suffer residual pain, to return and she’d check again.

Heading upstairs, I was in the middle of enjoying a shower when I heard the door swish open, glancing to see a naked Kelly Chambers walk towards me. I turned to her as she moulded herself into my body. “Miranda told me you’d been wounded. Just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“While I’m naked in the shower.”

“Maybe an ulterior motive. I know you’re off out tonight with Liara. Just wanted to steal a few minutes.” She looked up to meet my eyes. “Not even for anything sexual. I just wanted… you.”

I leaned down and kissed her for that, hugging her tight to my body before she grabbed the body wash and was rather excited by the prospect of washing down my body. She spent time focusing on my groin area, not that I minded, but she meant what she said. Nothing sexual, so after I turned off the water, we wiped each other down before I lifted her up in my arms, earning plenty of giggles, as I carried her to the couch, sitting down with her sideways on my lap, immediately resting back against me.

“Miranda has already sent the message about leaving. Why don’t you want to stay?”

“Because I might not want to leave if we do.”

“Gianna?”

“Yeah.”

“You love her, don’t you?”

“I do.”

She leaned forward and turned, the smile on her face a complete surprised. “Well, I knew it, but about time you admitted it to yourself.”

“I’ve had a few women say those words to me, Kelly, back on the old ship. That’s the first time I’ve actually said them back. I think part of me has now let Annie go. I’ve died and come back. As I said, the old Shepard is dead. I’m still him, but in some ways, I’m left feeling I’m nothing like him. I’ve noticed some differences in how I’ve acted. I guess I was never going to come back completely the same.”

“But why finally admit it to Gianna?”

“It was the right time. I loved her before. I love her now.”

“Does she want you to change anything?”

“No, she has no expectations, she simply had to tell me how she felt about me, and I finally had to admit those feelings were returned. But she’s not expecting monogamy as she knows I won’t offer it.”

She leaned forward. “So that means we can still fuck too?” she whispered.

“Kelly, there is no way that part of our relationship is stopping. Trust me on that one.”

“But you are meeting Liara tonight?”

“We’ve already had sex, if you’re wondering. Earlier today, before we headed out to recruit Samara. Spur of the moment thing. We were busy talking and she was wearing this perfume that, I’ll admit, was driving me a little crazy. We tried to stop but the temptation was too strong. Fucked her, right on her couch in the office. I’m sure plenty of people heard us.”

“But she’s not coming along?”

“Not at this point in time, and I’m no expecting her to drop everything to come with me. It’s been two years. Things have changed. People have moved on. And I have new people in my life who are helping me.” I met her eyes. “Some are even beautiful redheads who I definitely hope are in my future for a lot longer.”

It must have been something in my tone, as her hand went to my cheek before she leaned forward, the kiss soft and incredibly tender, wrapping my arms around her as she turned slightly, her towel falling away as she eventually straddled my chest, leaning back as she pressed her chest against mine. My hands made their way to her firm little butt, earning a giggle as I gave them a gentle squeeze. She broke the kiss, leaving her face close to mine. “I love your hands, Shepard,” she breathed.

I kissed her again as she started to grind herself against the erection now under my towel. All she needed to do was move that… which she did, lifting herself up and slowly lowering herself down on my cock. “Couldn’t resist?” I asked softly.

“Never,” she whispered back, kissing me again as she slowly started to ride me. I lifted myself up, taking her with me, taking her to the bed, laying her down, where we made love. She lifted her knees right back, moaning as I seemed to get even deeper inside her, both arms around me, fingers pressing into my back with each gentle thrust.

Grabbing a pillow, I slid that under her arse, changing the angle, something I knew would work once I upped the tempo. That’s when she cried out, now really digging her fingers into me, moving her legs so they were now resting around me. “Fuck me,” she asked quietly.

“You’re beautiful,” I said quietly, earning another of those wonderful smiles.

“God, I love your cock, Shepard,” she cried softly, “I’m so close already…”

I leaned down to kiss her as I upped the tempo, feeling her whimper into my mouth as both her hands rested on the back of my head, breaking the kiss. “God, fuck me, Shepard,” she shouted, “Harder. Faster. Just…” I don’t think she could tell me in the right words what she quite wanted.

I only knew she was enjoying an orgasm when I felt her start to squeeze my cock, her legs wrapping tighter as she moaned. That’s when I really started to drive into her, neither of us really concentrating on anything except our orgasms by now. Kelly was shuddering underneath me, moaning and giggling at once, as I simply kept going until I finally felt that sweet release inside her, pumping until I simply couldn’t keep going, stopping deep inside her as I looked down at her. She immediately raised her lips to mine, kissing me deep once again, and despite the orgasms, I managed to restart for a little longer at least.

I finally had to pull out and roll off her though, looking at the stars twinkling in the distance through the hole in the roof. Kelly rolled onto her side, resting her chin on my chest as I ran my fingers through her hair, watching her eyes close as I did. She leaned forward to kiss me, then with somewhat unsteady legs, got up and walked away to grab her clothes. I chuckled as she tried putting on her panties, taking at least three attempts before she finally managed to slide them up. “These are going to need a good wash later. I’ll be leaking cum all night.”

“You know, if I didn’t know you any better, Kelly, I would feel a little used by now. Come up for a shower, fuck me, then go.”

“Are you complaining?”

“Definitely not.”

“Besides, you’re obviously going to be fucking Liara later. Now you’ll last a little longer. I’ve just done you and her a favour.”

“Kelly, are you sure…”

She walked over, still topless, and leaned down to kiss me. “Shepard, don’t you even _dare_ start questioning all of this. If a woman can admit to actually loving you and accept it, I can damn well accept it as well. All I know is that, when we leave here tomorrow, I get you nearly all to myself for a little while. The only person I might have to consider is Jack, but I know anything you share with her is… different.”

“It will barely be considered occasional, Kelly. I’m not that attracted to her but… there is something about her that is… intoxicating. I look at her and think, maybe if Anderson hadn’t come into my life, I could have ended up down the road she’s travelled. Perhaps not to the extremes but I have been left thinking.”

She was dressed by now, just putting on her shoes. “Shepard, I’ll be honest. I think they could write entire textbooks about Jack and barely scratch the surface of her issues. She’s dangerous, violent, unstable, and a list of other words to categorise someone psychotic. All the bluster is a mere shield. There are two identities that lurk underneath; one is the person that has shown on occasion. The other? I think there’s a scared little girl under it all that she keeps hidden away, and I don’t think anyone has seen that side of her.” She got up and walked towards me, leaning down for a last kiss. “You should probably have another shower before you leave, otherwise when she sucks your cock, she’s going to taste my pussy.”

“Maybe I want her to taste it?”

That made her laugh. “Well, I’ve heard stories about those last few months on your old ship, Shepard. Trust me, nothing you tell me would shock me.” She kissed me again. “Have fun and I’ll see you in the morning.”

“When we leave, you’re staying with me until our next port of call.”

That made her smile, earned me another kiss, and I watched her walk away. She glanced back once before disappearing. I headed back to the bathroom for another shower, dressed in my usual clothes of jeans, shirt and jacket, as I didn’t think Liara was thinking of taking me anywhere, and I headed out. Liara had sent me the address of her apartment, so I hailed a cab and was driven into one of the most affluent areas of Nos Astra by appearances alone. Some of the mansions must have cost millions. Even the apartment tower Liara lived in was exquisite and I was left thinking each apartment took up an entire floor.

I found the floor on which she was on and rode the elevator high, the glass walls allowing an unobstructed view of the city. The elevator didn’t open directly onto the floor. There was a small entrance hall and a door, and a doorbell to the side. I heard it chime inside, and the door was opened by a… green asari. Who promptly burst into tears as she whispered my name before I was wrapped in the tightest brace imaginable. I returned the hug but I had barely a chance to recognise who it was. Only when there was silence did she lean back so I could look at her face. The faint markings were memorable and I couldn’t help smile for a moment. “Shiala?” She nodded, tears running down her cheeks, leaning forward to kiss me immediately. I returned it briefly before I had to say, “You’re green. Why are you green?”

She laughed and sobbed at the same time. “Long story,” she choked out before she ran a hand down my face, “It’s really you? You’re really here?”

“Yeah, I’m here. I had no idea you were here though.”

“It was a surprise,” she said, shuddering breaths between nearly every word, “I’ve been on Illium for a few days. Long story, as I said.”

I hugged her again, Liara appearing behind her, smile on her lips, no doubt pleased that she’d managed to surprise me. I just mouthed ‘thank you’ in her direction before I proved my strength again by picking Shiala up in my arms and carried her inside. Liara directed me to a lounge where I could gently place her down. “Wow, you’re stronger than I remember,” Shiala stated.

“Cerberus upgrade,” I muttered. I was sure she would have known about my story by now. Liara approached and I gave her a hug too. “You kept that well-hidden,” I added as I sat next to Shiala, Liara sitting next to me.

“It was a slight ruse on my part,” she admitted, “I knew you would be coming. Shiala is a regular visitor. I’m helping her deal with some arseholes who have taken advantage of the health situation regards the colonists on Feros. The biotics we left there are also having concerns of their own. The usual problems human biotics have with the early implants.”

“Is that why you’re green, Shiala?”

She was busy wiping her cheeks but managed to nod. “It’s all to do with the Thorian. We’re all links telepathically now, but also suffering health problems. Nothing lethal but the treatment we need is expensive, and the contract we signed… well, it’s leaving us worse off than ever.”

“So I’m helping her,” Liara stated, “Should only take a little more negotiation and the colonists will get the help they need and deserve.”

“Liara has been a great help ever since… you know…” Shiala couldn’t even finish the sentence, instead just leaning into me. I wrapped an arm around her, giving her a gentle squeeze. “The last two years have been awful. Well, except for Liara. She’s been a rock.”

“Not all the time,” Liara said, leaning into me too, so I wrapped an arm around her. “But the work has kept me occupied.” I kissed her on the cheek, before doing the same to Shiala. “Are you hungry, Shepard?”

“I could definitely go for something to eat.”

“I’ll just order some food in. You don’t mind asari food?”

“Gianna and I had some last night. It’s good stuff. Different, but it seems the base taste of everything across the galaxy is chicken.”

Liara opened her omni-tool and started to order, getting up and leaving me with Shiala. I eventually lifted her up so she could straddle my lap, no surprise she simply wrapped her arms around me tight and rested her head on my chest. I kissed her forehead and simply stroked her back over her shirt. She sighed and I felt her relax. “I’ve missed you so much,” she whispered.

“I’m sorry, Shiala. I’ve said that to nearly everyone.”

“It wasn’t your fault, Shepard. And at least you’re back. Two years later, but at least you’re back.” She leaned back and I met her eyes. She smiled before leaning forward, our kiss soft at first, almost hesitant, before she opened her mouth, deepening the kiss, breathing out our noses as I pulled her tighter. We pulled apart slowly, resting our foreheads against each other. “Okay, now I know it’s real because my heart is beating like crazy.”

“We’ll eat first, Shiala. We’ve got all night after that,” Liara stated. We both looked her way as she just laughed at us. “Trust me, Shepard, your last night on Illium is going to be a lot of fun.”

“When do you have to leave, Shiala?”

“I’d love to go with you, but I need to stay here then head straight back to Feros. Otherwise, you know I’d be with you in an instant, Cerberus or not.”

“Sounds like you’re their leader now.”

“Fai Dan… he still lives but he’s very sick. What happened took a lot out of him. We think he’ll see out this year, but after that, I think it’ll be day by day.”

“If I get there to see him, I will.”

“He’s like that.”

Shiala slid off my lap, sitting next to me, only for Liara sit on my lap and enjoy a little kiss with me as well. She’d definitely changed from the shy, young asari I’d met on Therum as she was already rather excited, breaking the kiss and actually leaning over to kiss Shiala at the same time before looking back at me with a smirk. “We’ve already fucked, if you’re wondering.”

Shiala scoffed. “I think he’d know that. Didn’t you already tell him he’s the only dick you’ve had? Real dick, anyway.”

“Ah, yes,” Liara then looked at me, “We have a plan for tonight, Shepard. Obviously, you’re going to fuck us both, I hope?”

“God yes.”

“Good. Then we might have to show you a little something and have a lot more fun.”

I glanced at Shiala. “Liara has really come out of her shell, hasn’t she?”

“Shepard, every time I’m here, I spend half my time naked in her bed. I’m fairly sure I’m not the only asari either.”

I glanced at Liara, who shrugged. “I might not have been with other men but I’m not going to live like a hermit.” She suddenly looked unsure. “You don’t…”

I put a finger to her lips. “One, I was dead. Two, I don’t own you. Three, I fuck other women.” Still, she sighed with relief and leaned down against chest, wrapping my left arm around her, pulling Shiala tighter with my right. “Well, at least I have my two favourite asari in the galaxy with me again.”

“I let Mother know you were here, Shepard. She’s heard of your return. She’s very jealous she’s not here tonight.”

“How is she?”

“Better. Since Sovereign’s destruction, the voices plaguing her mind slowly disappeared. I was worried she’d be left a mindless husk, so once we were sure, I melded with her and was able to restore parts of her mind that were empty. She not suffered any problems, from what she’s told me anyway. I just worry for if or when the Reapers return, if she will be susceptible.”

“We’ll make sure she’s looking after.”

The doorbell rang, Liara getting off my lap, joking she should strip off and surprise the delivery woman, as it would likely be an asari. She didn’t though, Shiala and I getting up and heading to the dining room. Liara brought out everything we needed from the kitchen, including some asari wine, which wasn’t as alcoholic as wine from Earth and far fruitier. We ate and drank, talked and laugh, plenty of reminiscing of our time before I died. Both of them shed a tear or two at times, but overall, the sound was one of laughter as we ate all the food, drank all the wine, then Liara bluntly stated that she wanted to fuck.

That’s how the three of us ended up in her bedroom, surprised that I was undressed first, rather rapidly, before we helped Shiala strip off, Liara next to end up naked. The two then dropped to their knees and shared the responsibility of sucking my cock. Having one of them would have been great. The two of them doing it was even better. And both were far more talented than I remember, particularly Liara, who managed to swallow my entire length easily, really getting into it. Shiala could do the same, but she certainly let Liara take control.

I warned Liara I was close, Shiala sitting back as she refused to stop until I’d cum in her mouth. I groaned loudly when I did, Liara moaning as I emptied myself. Once she was sure I was finished, she leaned back and opened her mouth, watching cum dribble down her chin, before she turned to Shiala, watching them make out. “My god,” I murmured. I’d never seen either of them do anything like that before. They broke apart and both looked up at me and grinned.

“Just as nice as I remember, Shepard,” Liara stated.

“Next time, I’m taking it first,” Shiala added.

I looked up at the ceiling. “Dear Lord, I know I don’t particularly believe in you, but I will thank you for these two beautiful asari.”

Both of them giggled as they stood up, Liara taking Shiala by the end, gently laying her down on the bed, the green asari scooting back, turning so she could face me, spreading her legs to show her bald pussy. And it was clear she was excited. “I think you should make her cum, Shepard. While you’re doing that, she’s going to make me cum.”

“Oh, I do love it when you sit on my face, Liara,” Shiala stated.

“Oh, really?”

“Liara is a little bossy nowadays,” Shiala replied, “I do like it quite a bit.”

So while I got to work on Shiala, I watched as Liara lowered her pussy to the waiting mouth of Shiala. Honestly, watching that rather distracted me from what I was doing, and I was hard again quite quickly as well. I finally just lowered my eyes and concentrated on Shiala, savouring her taste once again, and letting her know how much I enjoyed it. She couldn’t reply, busy as she was pleasing Liara, who was making the sort of noises that suggested Shiala was proving to be rather talented herself.

Liara enjoyed an orgasm first, really riding Shiala’s face hard. “Fuck yes, Shiala,” she cried, “Goddess, your tongue is so talented. I’ve taught you to eat my pussy so well.” She said with such authority, I think my cock got even harder. “Now you’re going to make me cum again. Do you want to do that?” Shiala could barely reply as she was now close to her own orgasm, so Liara distracted her by almost forcing her to eat her out. Shiala eventually cried out, her body shuddering as she came, keeping my hands on her thighs to stop them from slamming shut. “Don’t stop, Shepard. Keep eating that pussy.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Oh, I _definitely_ liked this new Liara. Damn, I didn’t know she could be so bossy.

I eventually brought Shiala to orgasm three times before I stopped, watching Liara just keep riding her face before she eventually turned around and lowered her mouth, eating out Shiala to return the favour. I’d seen them do it before, long ago, but there was a new dynamic to their relationship. Before, it had been one of almost equals. Now, it was obvious Liara was in charge, and it seemed Shiala was happy to go along with it.

Liara eventually fell onto the bed alongside her, both of them giggling as they breathed rapidly after their exertions. I shuffled closer to Shiala, kissing her softly on the lips. “I can taste Liara.”

“She is _very_ talented with that tongue of hers,” Liara stated, turning around so she was lying the same was the us. “Shepard, do you mind if I tell you our idea now?”

“No. What have you got planned?”

“First, you’re just going to fuck me like before, though this time, I just want to ride you, Shepard. Is that okay?” I chuckled, so that was her answer. “Then, obviously, you can enjoy some time with Shiala alone. After that is when it might be fun.”

“Oh, now I am intrigued.”

“I’ll show you.” She rolled over and opened a drawer next to the bed, eventually rolling back to show me what she’d grabbed. I laughed as I actually should have expected it. “Before you ask, I actually bought this a long time ago but I’ve never used it with Shiala. Only with other asari I’ve met.”

“And your plan is…?” I asked, actually feeling slightly concerned.

“No, it’s not going up your arse, Shepard, so don’t worry.” She glanced at Shiala. “It’s going up hers. We’ll double penetrate her.”

I looked at Shiala, definitely wide eyed, before back to Liara. “You’re serious?”

“It was my idea,” Shiala admitted, “Liara and I were talking and she told me about the toy she used with others. I liked the idea, and once she told me you were back, I immediately suggested it.”

“This is for later, Shepard. The piece de resistance, as they say.”

Shiala rolled away as Liara could see I was hard and ready to go, letting me get comfortable before she simply straddled my lap, slid down my cock, and started to ride. She was enjoying herself immediately watching her breasts sway as she bounced up and down. “Just as great as I remember, Shepard. Goddess, I’ve missed you cock so much,” she cried softly. I reached up to fondle her breasts, earning a smile. “And I remember you loved them as well.”

“Perfect, Liara,” I said as she lowered herself down so I could use my mouth instead. She wasted little time really driving herself down, almost in a rush to have an orgasm. Not that I minded, as I assumed she wanted more than one. I moved from one breast to the other before I kissed her hard, running a hand down her back towards her arse, giving her tight little hole as tickle.

“I remember the last time you fucked me there, Shepard. I was so nervous.”

“And now?”

“Next time you’re here, I want you in charge of me. Do what you want.”

I couldn’t help grin. “I love the new Liara.”

“I’ve had to harden myself due to the life,” she said, before needing to stop, closing her eyes and releasing a cry, “Goddess, Shepard,” she moaned, “I’ve missed your cock so much. The things it does to me…” I kissed her again before she needed to break off, sitting back though grabbing my hands for balance. Shiala sat up and took one of her breasts in her mouth, using a hand to fondle her clit at the same time. That was far too much for Liara, feeling her squeeze me tight, the universal sign that she was going to cum, and when it hit, she seemed to shake and shudder almost like having a seizure. Whatever she tried to say was basically unintelligible, but once it passed, she leaned forward and seemed to ride me even harder. Reaching down to grab her firm arse, she said, “Fuck me hard.”

I did just that, making her cry out as she leaned up to hold onto the headboard. I fucked her as hard as I could straight away. I wasn’t going to cum anytime soon but I wanted her to have another orgasm. Shiala then got into position behind her and definitely started to do something as Liara moaned louder, glancing back. “Put two in Shiala,” she instructed.

Liara came again a couple of minutes later, my cock in her cunt and Shiala’s fingers in her arse. And she simply couldn’t go on after that, immediately lowering her body so she rested on my chest. Wrapping my arms around her, she pressed her legs tight against my body, squeezing me with her arms. And then she cried. Shiala immediately cuddled into us. She didn’t wail but the shaking and small sobs were enough.

Eventually, she lifted her head to look at me, lifting a hand to wipe her cheeks dry. “Well, big night so far,” I said softly.

“I just really needed that, Shepard. The office was fun earlier but I needed that, to really feel you inside me again and give me an intense orgasm. Two was more than enough though, otherwise I’d be nothing but an emotional wreck the rest of the night.”

She immediately slid off me, occasionally shaking as she cuddled into me. Shiala looked ready to go straight away but gave me a couple of minutes to calm down, perhaps thinking if we started immediately, I’d cum quickly.

When I finally entered Shiala, it was completely different. We definitely made what I would call love, the kissing affection, passionate, but soft and tender, her hands and fingers never leaving my face or body, and it remained slow until we needed to feel a release. It was no surprise when she said quite quickly that she loved me. She’d told me before I had died. Liara had known, as had Benezia, Ashley, Tali, everyone else. I had loved her then, I loved her even now, but I’d already shared my feelings for Gianna. I didn’t really know if I should say those words again so soon to someone else. I didn’t think you could only love one person, I knew such notions were outdated rubbish. Think of all the people you may love during a lifetime. Asari loved many people during theirs. I saw no problem with loving more than one person at once. But I couldn’t say it yet.

But we definitely made love, her legs around me tight as I did finally cum inside her. Neither had offered or chosen to meld with me that night so far. Perhaps they didn’t want to, or perhaps they just wanted to enjoy the physical act. I didn’t mind either way. They’d melded with me before during love-making. Liara had done it earlier that day, but I could understand why Shiala was hesitant. I stayed inside her, continuing to make out, before I needed to pull out and relax. We both sat up as Liara disappeared, returning with another bottle of asari wine that we just swigged straight from it.

“What time do you need to leave tomorrow morning?” Liara asked.

“I won’t be leaving before midday, ship time. I will want to make one last stop here before I do board.”

“Gianna?”

“I just need to say goodbye. She probably won’t like it, but I can’t leave without doing it.”

“Do you know when you might be back? To Illium, I mean.”

“No idea, to be honest. I’m sure I’ll have another couple of recruits. Then it’s about finding the Collectors. But the mission isn’t straightforward like it was with Saren, where I had clearly defined objectives. The Collectors pop up then disappear too quickly, so they’re hard to track.”

“Will you return before you go through the Omega Four?”

I met her eyes and I didn’t need to ask why. “Yes, I’ll make sure I return.”

“Good. I’ll make sure Shiala is here again.”

We drank at least half the bottle before we began to make out again, and eventually Shiala ended up on her back, Liara between her legs as Shiala quite happily blew me. She joked about tasting herself on my cock, but I’m sure she would have been eager for me to cum in her mouth this time. But while Liara was pleasing her, it was simply to get us all excited. Eventually she reached for the strap on, the dildo a little small than my own cock, and unlike mine, it wouldn’t cum in the end. Liara was nothing but prepared, as she also had lube. “Okay, Shepard. Do you want to fuck her arse or not?”

“Honestly, you know I’m not fussed either way. Do you want to?”

“Absolutely.” I looked at Shiala and I had a feeling they’d probably done it before as she looked rather happy by the idea.

So I lay down, Shiala straddling my lap and lowering herself down on my cock. Liara lowered her mouth, and while Shiala slowly rode me, Liara ate out her arse. “Feel good?” I asked.

“Liara is very talented, Shepard.”

Her tongue was quickly replaced by lube, which made Shiala giggled, before her fingers got to work. She soon had at least three pumping into her arse as I barely moved, Shiala riding me ever so slowly, thankful that I wasn’t going to cum anytime soon. Liara then moved slightly, showing me the lubed up cock she would soon have inside Shiala’s arse.

“Okay, stop for a second,” Liara asked. Shiala buried my cock inside her, leaning down and kissing me as Liara took her time sliding her strap on into Shiala. She broke the kiss and gasped when it seemed to slide in, and then she moaned as more and more until Liara stated she was all the way in.

Liara and I then got to work on fucking Shiala, and to put it simply, she loved every second of it, soon moaning and squealing as we slowly but surely upped the tempo. I eventually established a steady rhythm but Liara was soon really fucking her arse, definitely getting off on it herself. I glanced past Shaila and could see Liara was actually rather turned on. “There’s two small ones in me vibrating,” she groaned, “One in my pussy, one in my arse.”

“Technology today,” I stated with a chuckle. Liara giggled, her hands digging into the hips of Shiala even together, her face one of concentration.

Shiala came hard soon afterwards and almost stopped moving. There was a loud slap as Liara said, “Don’t stop. You will cum again and again until I say no more.”

Shiala then looked at me in the eyes. “Harder, Shepard,” she begged.

She was serious so that’s what I did. Soon, Liara and I must have been fucking her as hard as we both could. The noises Shiala was making suggested she loved every single second. I would glance to see Liara, her body glistening with sweat, her breasts swaying. I think she’d enjoyed an orgasm of her own at once stage from the small toys inside her. Eventually she started to slow down, admitting she was a little worn out. Shiala was now exhausted herself, but still going until Liara leaned down, kissing down her back before she kissed her cheek. “Enjoy it, my love?” she asked quietly.

“Every second,” Shiala whispered back.

I must have looked slightly surprised as Liara met my eyes. “Is it really that big a shock?”

Actually, it wasn’t, so that’s what I said. “I didn’t want to say anything in the office earlier, and I kept it hidden as we melded. I didn’t know how you’d react.”

“What, the fact you’ve fallen in love during the two years I’ve been gone? Think that would be rather selfish of a dead man, to get jealous.”

Shiala kissed me as Liara eventually pulled out, sitting cross-legged next to us as Shiala lowered herself down my body, kissing as she went, before taking my cock in her mouth. I knew what she wanted and I groaned loudly when I came a couple of minutes later. All Shiala did was look at Liara, open her mouth then close it, making a satisfied sound before she giggling to herself.

After all that fun, the one thing we needed was a wash and the bathroom is Liara’s apartment was not only enormous, but was fit for a queen. The shower cubicle alone could have fit a dozen people, with three shower heads! That meant we got one each though that didn’t stop plenty of playful kissing and touching as we washed.

Back in bed, I had the luxury of one asari to either side of me, both cuddling into me as Liara asked for the lights to be turned off. Shiala was asleep rather quickly, feeling Liara run a hand up and down my chest. “Shepard, thank you for being so understanding about everything. I know you weren’t here, but some of it must still be a shock.”

“Life moves on, Liara. I learned that within a couple of days of waking. Trust me, all is well in my world.”

“Shepard,” she said softly, using a finger to turn my face towards her, “I still love you too.”

“I know, Liara. I sensed that when we melded.”

“Okay, just in case you thought… I don’t know, I’d stopped.”

“I think the fact you went to all that trouble to find me and make sure I was brought back would suggest you never stopped. But I’m also glad you found happiness with Shiala while I was gone. You’re good for each other.”

“It wasn’t unexpected?”

“No. You were intimate while on the old Normandy. Without me here, a full blown romance blossoming isn’t a surprise at all.”

Liara leaned close to my ear. “She would choose you over me, Shepard.”

“Liara…”

“I’m just being honest, Shepard. We meld and I can read her because she doesn’t hide it from me. She is not embarrassed about her feelings and nor should she be.”

“What about you?”

“We’ll always have a connection, Shepard. And you’ll always have a piece of my heart, long after you are gone next time. Which I hope is a long time from now.”

“Fingers crossed.”

She settled down and feel asleep before me. Waking up the next morning, the two had barely moved. I managed to move my arm to check the time, glad to see I had a few hours before departure. The pair of them eventually stirred, sharing a kiss with both before we got up and I dressed. Liara had food in for breakfast, and we sat around the table as Liara had to concentrate on work. I had a feeling she had put everything on silent the night before. Shiala sat with a mug of tea and watched with a smirk, and I was left thinking it was nothing out of the ordinary.

I couldn’t stay forever, and I did tell them I had to leave as I had one stop to make before boarding the _Normandy_. Hugging them both at the door, I kissed both before assuring them I would be back before going through the Omega Four. No tears this time. After the night we’d shared, there were only smiles and giggles, suggestions for what we might do next time, even suggestions for who we might even invite. I would leave that to them. After another final kiss with both, I wished them well and headed to the elevator.

Catching a cab, I headed straight for Gianna’s office, checking the time to see she would be in the office. Strolling through the door, she looked up from her desk, slight surprised following by an enormous grin, and then she practically sprinted and jumped into my arms. I hugged her tightly before we shared a long kiss. “I didn’t think…”

“Just had to see you before I go.” That earned another of those smiles that lit up her face, which immediately made me feel like a complete arsehole at times. But I hugged her to me, feeling her arms around me in return, and we simply held each other in silence. She didn’t need to ask what I was doing. All she wanted was my safe return, and I’d ensure I would in the end. “I’ll message you every day.”

“You will?”

“Even if the only thing I write is that I’ve been on the ship all day, bored out of my brain.”

“I’ll send you stories of my day instead. Keep you entertained.” She leaned forward, lowering her face. “Perhaps I could send you one or two other things as well.”

“Definitely,” I whispered back.

I kissed her again before I knew I really had to go. I didn’t really want to go, and she could sense that, so grabbed my hand and escorted me to the door. She hugged me one final time. “I love you,” she said softly.

“And I love you, even though I have a weird way of showing it sometimes.”

“You need to stop worrying. You love me, that’s all I need to know.” She leaned back slightly. “You didn’t say it before. You said it back this time. That’s how I know you mean it and how much I _do_ mean to you.” One final kiss before she added, “And now you’d better go, otherwise I won’t let you go, and then you won’t finish your mission.”

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“And I’ll be waiting for you. Just be safe, Shepard. And save the day like you normally do.”

“I’ll do my best.”

I turned and wandered out, glancing back to see her smile before she closed the door. Walking back to the _Normandy_, I definitely grinned and chuckled to myself at the day I’d had yesterday. Honestly, it was all a little ridiculous at times but I certainly wasn’t going to complain about it.

Boarding the _Normandy_, I told Joker to disengage and to have us away in half an hour’s time, and that I’d let him know our next destination by the end of the day. Other than that, it was back to work, walking to my terminal, Kelly already at her own, letting me know I had new messages from the Illusive Man. I would have groaned, but after the day and night before, I was in a good move and not even him annoying me was going to bring me down.

Then I received a new message from Miranda. It was another dossier for a recruit and for a person I simply did not expect at all. All that did was cause my grin to broaden even more.

We were definitely getting the old band back together.


	30. Book 2, Chapter 11 - Rescue Me

“Are you both settling in okay?” I asked.

“My quarters meet my requirements, Shepard,” Thane replied, “I do not require much comfort otherwise. A soft mat for meditation is all that I need.”

“And you still feel fit enough to assist?”

He nodded his head, the flicker of a grin. “Your concern is admirable, Shepard, and I do thank you for it. But I would not have accepted your offer if I did not deem myself capable of performing to how I would expect of myself.”

“Great. And you, Samara?”

“While I did not expect to ever fly aboard a vessel bedecked in the colours and symbol of an avowed enemy of the Council, I am pleased to see that many of the humans on board do not match the stereotype of what I had expected of a human centric organisation.”

“And do you have everything you require?”

“I am comfortable, Shepard. All I need is a place to lay my head at night and a quiet place to meditate. Thane has already joined me during our brief time together on the ship.”

“It brings harmony of mind, body and soul, Justicar.”

“Indeed it does.” She looked back at me. “Suffice to say, I believe we are both well, Shepard. Thank you for asking.”

“Good. Glad to hear. You need anything, just shout and I’ll see what I can do.” Both looked confused a moment before realising the human idiom.

“Shepard, if I may broach one subject, in private?” Thane took that as a cue to leave, dipping his head in respect towards both of us before leaving the lounge, leaving me across from Samara. I had a feeling I already knew what this would be about, but I let her start. “I do not mean to cause embarrassment, Shepard, but I feel I must say this before we go further.”

“Sure, Samara. No problem.”

“I will admit I do not know you well. However, suffice to say, I have learned of your reputation as a… I believe the term is ladies’ man. Would that be correct?”

“In a manner of speaking.”

“I can admit I already understand why many women may flock to your bedside, Shepard. It is not just your deeds. Already I have seen the strength of your character and force of personality, and that’s ignoring your physical attributes. However, I am a Justicar and… I cannot be another of your conquests, Shepard, to put it as bluntly as possible. I took a vow of celibacy and no-one, not even you, can make me break that vow.”

“I would never expect that, Samara.”

“I know that already, but I felt it necessary to vocalise my thoughts, just so we know where we each stand. I will stand by your side until the Collectors are defeated. I will offer you advice whenever you need it. I will protect you with my life as I know you will protect mine with yours. I hope, by the end of this, I can consider you a close friend, forged in the arena of war. But that is all we will ever be.”

“Thank you, Samara.”

“For what?” she asked, sounding surprised.

“For being honest. I know nothing of your order, and you’ve just given me a tiny insight. You gave up everything correct? Material possessions but also the idea of… love? Intimacy?”

“In a manner of speaking. I can still feel great love but that is all. I now live by the Code.”

“I certainly expect nothing from any woman I meet except friendship. If it develops naturally from there, then I certainly appreciate that fact. But I never expect something to happen. Now that I know where each of us stands, I can only echo your hopes and feelings, Samara. By the end of this, I hope to consider you as close a friend as I consider many others I have fought alongside.”

She dipped her head in respect. “Another reason why you have developed such a reputation, Shepard. I am eager to see how we progress in the coming weeks.”

“This is still just the beginning. We haven’t even really begun yet.”

I left Samara to her meditations, heading out into the mess to grab a bottle of water, looking around and walking into the med-bay. Chakwas was pleased to see me, gesturing immediately to her seat. Once I’d sat down, she simply said, “Thank you, Commander.”

“Shepard, Doc. I’m no longer of that rank.”

“You still command this vessel, Commander. But I understand why.”

“Why the thank you?”

“For the bottle of brandy. I know I told you about it but I didn’t think you’d actually buy me one.”

“Of course I would. I look after my friend’s.”

“We’ll have to have a drink one day.”

“Definitely. Once we’ve recruited Tali, we’ll spend a night together drinking.”

Something in her eyes sparkled. I remembered her affection for me during Saren, but neither of us had made a move to be anything more than friends. I certainly had affection for her. She was a lovely woman and I enjoyed our constant conversations. But I didn’t think she wanted anything more than a friend, so I didn’t push it. “Well, that will give me something to look forward to, Shepard. Did you need anything else?”

“No, just wondering if there’s anything I need to be concerned about?”

“Your injuries have clearly healed, so you’re fine. Our recruits are all fit and healthy. No, I think I can claim that the entire ship is running smoothly in regards to their health.”

“Well, who can’t help but be pleased by that.”

“I’ll let you know if anything major does happen, but that will likely only be due to action off the ship.”

“I can’t help it if bad people want to shoot me constantly,” I stated, rising to my feet, “But it seems to be a habit nowadays.”

“As long as your visits with wounds doesn’t become a habit, Commander.”

“What? And miss your bedside manner, Doctor? Almost a good excuse to get shot!”

“Behave, Commander,” she retorted with a grin.

“Of course, Doc. I’ll talk to you later.”

Heading upstairs, I clicked on my terminal and checked for any new messages. Of course, within the couple of hours I’d been away, I’d been inundated like usual. Most of it was junk or things I simply didn’t need to know or care about, but there was always news to catch up. Rumours of Collector movements were always something I wanted to know about. Since Freedom’s Progress and even Horizon, at least another half a dozen colony’s had simply disappeared. It was almost like they were mocking our efforts at times.

As for where we were headed, the only dossier I’d received since leaving Illium was to recruit a quarian. A certain someone by the name of Tali’Zorah vas Neema. I remembered her telling me everything about her society and culture during our time together before, so what her new name told me is that she was now a member of the _Neema_ and was now considered an adult. She’d been an adult, at least in regards to age, when she was on the old _Normandy_, but due to their own unique rules, she was only considered a contributing adult when she returned from Pilgrimage with a gift. I could only hope the one I gave her had been as good as she’d hoped when leaving.

We were headed to a planet called Haestrom, which was arse deep in the middle of geth space. I didn’t like that idea. Hated geth almost as much as I hated batarians. At least the latter were organics. Geth were heartless, emotionless machines, hell bent on doing god knows what to the rest of us. They’d come ever so close to helping Saren achieve his ambitions at letting the Reapers invade, so my only rule regarding the geth nowadays was to shoot every single one I ran into.

I couldn’t figure out what Tali was doing there though. I’d been told that the quarians tried to leave the geth alone at the best of times. But considering she had told me about her own mission, I could only assume this was somehow related.

“Joker, how long until we’re in orbit of Haestrom?”

_“Well, considering we’ll need to stay cloaked the entire time we’re in geth space, we’re going to be at least another couple of days, Commander.”_ Joker was another that refused to call me Shepard. I’d given up asking him as well.

“Okay. Do what you can to shave off an hour here or there if you can. But I’d rather not be chased out of the system by geth if possible.”

_“Sure thing, Commander. With any luck, they won’t know we’ve been and gone.”_

Thankfully, everyone had their role on the ship, or at least those wearing Cerberus colours, so while the ship was flying anywhere, no-one could complain of being bored. Of those who were not Cerberus, Garrus worked the main batteries, so kept himself amused. Kasumi liked to read. Thane and Samara meditated. Jack did… whatever Jack did downstairs. Grunt found joy in assembling weapons. Zaeed drank and smoked in his quarters.

As for Kelly, I’d kept my word. The first night after we’d left Illium, we had dinner together in my cabin and she stayed the night, where we made love and then we simply cuddled together. And I knew she was happy in the thought that, for the time being, she’d be my sole focus. I didn’t think anything would happen with Jack again anytime soon, and I wasn’t going to go looking for it. Miranda… I wasn’t sure about. I was left thinking there was a slight attraction, despite the way our relationship had started, but I wasn’t going to pursue it. Kasumi didn’t seem interested, which I didn’t mind at all. Just like I’d told Samara, I accepted friendship above all else first. But I could sit and chat with her for a couple of hours and just listen to her talk about her life. At least she was interesting and had no problem sharing her opinions about numerous topics.

The next morning, I was downstairs with Jacob, both of us having just finished working out, when Kelly wandered in with a couple of bottles of water, handing one off to Jacob before giving one to me. “Good workout?” she asked.

“Certainly got the old heartrate going, that’s for sure.”

“I can’t keep up with him,” Jacob said, “I think we rebuilt him a little too good!”

“I’m not going to complain,” I said, “Though the muscles still burn just like that used to.”

“But could you bench press that sort of weight before?”

“Not a chance. But I don’t do too much of that. I don’t want to get too big, otherwise I lose some of my athleticism.”

“So you’re just showing off?”

“Just want to see if I can do it. One of those test yourself moments.” I offered my hand, which he took. “Nice workout, Jacob. Same again tomorrow?”

“You know it, Shepard. I’ll catch you later.”

Kelly waited until he’d stepped onto the elevator before she said, “You’re certainly getting on with him.”

I took a sip of my bottle, nodding at her statement. “Good man. Explained his history. I can almost understand why he left the Alliance. Hell, I’m here now because the Council and Alliance are not taking the Collector threat seriously.” I took another sip as I gathered my thoughts. “Actually, I’ve come to a realisation,” I added, taking a seat on the crate, Kelly sitting beside me.

“What are you thinking?”

“What I’m doing now… no, what _we_ are doing now, as everyone is involved, it’s given the Alliance an excuse to barely lift a finger. Leave it all to us to solve. If it goes wrong, we get the blame. If we manage to achieve victory, they can applaud but still call Cerberus terrorists, me a traitor, and still come out smelling of roses.”

“So the chances of you going back to the Alliance?”

“I’m not so sure now. I’m almost tempted to become something like an ‘independent military contractor’. A fancy name for a mercenary, I guess.”

“Heard from anyone in the Alliance?”

“Anderson sends the occasional message, but they are only brief. Ashley sent one after Horizon, which I appreciated, but nothing since. Hackett sends the occasional one too, generally asking for small favours, which we have done from time to time. Other than that, the messages are not worth repeating.”

“That bad?”

“Honestly, I sometimes hate politicians more than batarians and geth.” I turned towards her. “What brought you down here anyway?”

“No reason. Just wondering where you were.” I gave her a look, as I suspected there might have been another motive, which made her giggle and lean in. “No, Shepard, not that. I’m actually a little sore after last night.”

“You’re the one who said their pussy needed a pounding, Kelly.”

“I’m not complaining, Shepard. I loved it. But I am feeling a little delicate right now.” She cuddled into me, despite the fact I was still sweating. “Maybe a bit gentler tonight. Maybe just your tongue.”

“That I can quite happily do. Or we could, you know, not do anything. We don’t always have to have sex, Kelly. I just like your company too.” I think what I’d just said was quite unexpected as she seemed to get a little emotional. No tears or anything but it was definitely a surprise, so I turned my body towards her. “Kelly, you don’t think this is just about sex, do you?”

“Well… I…”

I grabbed both her hands once she turned towards me. “Kelly, if you ever thought that, I must apologise. I thought my intentions were clear. You are more than that to me.” I pulled her into a hug, which she definitely liked, running a hand through her hair. “So much more than that,” I added quietly.

“Just surprised, Shepard,” she eventually whispered.

“Well, a good surprise, I hope?”

“Oh, the best. Just what I wanted to hear.”

“You’re very special to me, Kelly. Dear to my heart.” I lifted her chin with a finger. “And I trust you completely.”

That made her lower lip tremble as she knew what that meant. Despite the fact she worked for them. Despite the fact she wore that symbol. Despite the fact I knew she sent reports to the Illusive Man, I trusted her. She leaned forward to kiss me, and the depth of feeling in that one kiss told me what her true feelings were for me in return. Leaning back, she met my eyes and smiled as I caressed her cheek, running my fingers through her hair as always, watching her eyes close at the feeling.

Taking her by the hand, I led her towards the elevator, pushing the buttons for the CIC and cabin. She didn’t get off at the former, so we travelled together to the latter, where I headed straight for the shower. She didn’t join me there, but when I walked out a few minutes later, I was given a surprise of my own as she was lying naked on the bed. I quickly dried myself off and joined her, simply lying next to her as I took her in my arms. Running fingers up and down her back, we lay like that for what felt like a long time, barely swapping a word, kissing occasionally, but otherwise just enjoying each other.

We couldn’t stay there all day. She certainly had work to do, and I couldn’t not make a regular appearance in the CIC during the day. She finally got up first and I lay back and watched her dress. She somehow managed to make getting dressed rather erotic, and only when she was putting on her shoes did I finally get up. After I’d slid on some trousers, a shirt and my boots, I took her by the hand and led her back out to the elevator. We walked out hand in hand into the CIC before I let her go, walking to our own terminals.

The work never seemed to end.

With still at least two days of travelling, we enjoyed a night in the bar lounge that evening. Everyone joined in, including Jack and Miranda, and the new recruits were more than happy to stay, though neither of them consumed alcohol. I was pleased to see the Cerberus crew further prove they didn’t fit the stereotype Samara had expected, as they quite happily spoke to a drell, asari or even Garrus without a problem. I was left thinking they were not a true reflection of Cerberus, but were chosen as they were not the anti-alien fanatics that probably fit the bill for most members of their organisation. I drank enough to get a slight buzz going, eventually finding myself between Miranda and Jack, surprised they were even sitting that close together.

“So, when are you going to come down and fuck me again?” Jack wondered, not being quiet nor subtle. Miranda simply scoffed which earned a comment from Jack. “You’re just jealous you haven’t got your claws into him yet, cheerleader. He’s already come down and fucked me good and hard a couple of times.”

“I want nothing from Shepard except the guarantee we’ll defeat the Collectors, Jack. He can find his sexual gratification with others if he needs to.”

“Oh, but I bet you’d love nothing more than to slide down his cock, cheerleader. You’ve obviously seen it, considering you rebuilt him. I bet it pisses you off that he’s fucking Kelly instead. Yeah, she’s getting the good stuff nearly every night. The smile on her face each morning lets everyone know she got some deep dicking the night before.”

“Sometimes in the morning too,” Kelly added cheerfully.

“Jack,” I said, a warning tone in just the use of her name.

“Just being honest, Shepard. I know Kelly would admit you’re a great fuck. I can admit you were pretty damned good. Who else has fucked him on this ship?”

“No-one else yet,” Garrus stated, “I use the term yet loosely, of course.”

“He’s obviously fucked some others too, off the ship. Damn, cheerleader, it must just piss you off at the fact you haven’t been one of them.”

“You’d be surprised how much I’m not, actually.”

“Tell yourself that all you want, cheerleader. I know for a fact you want Shepard in your bed, or you want to be in his bed, your head buried in a pillow as he just pounds you from behind. Maybe a bit of hair pulling? Or maybe one of his firm hands slapping your arse?”

“Okay, Jack, that’s enough,” I said, “Teasing is fine but…”

“I’m a big girl, Shepard. I can handle it myself,” Miranda stated.

Jack got to her feet. “I think you’re full of shit, cheerleader. About what you think in regards to Shepard and a lot of other things. But it’s clear you’re not any fun, so fuck it… Shepard, you’re not going to come join me?”

“Not tonight, Jack.”

“Suit yourself.” She looked around at the available males, no doubt assessing who might would suit her needs. “You’re fun, Zaeed, but too old. Garrus… no, turian dicks are too weird, even for me. Thane? Never fucked a drell before.”

“While I appreciate the offer, I feel I must decline.”

“Suit yourself.” She looked around and groaned. “Fuck. I’m going to have to take care of myself then.” I did glance at Jacob, but all he did was meet my eyes and return a subtle shake of the head. I didn’t blame the man, to be honest. Looking back, Jack had already disappeared, hearing her mutter all the way towards the elevator.

Once the doors shut, I turned to Miranda. “I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve any of that.”

She looked at me and grinned. “Not your fault, Shepard, so thank you, but not necessary. You asked her to stop twice, but she was clearly looking for a reaction. I wasn’t going to give her the pleasure of one. It was obvious she was pressing _your_ buttons, hoping you’ll follow her down there later.” I looked away, giving it some thought. There must have been a light bulb moment as she chuckled. “Exactly. She’s down there now, waiting for you.”

“Well, she’s not getting what she wants then. All she’s done is piss me off.”

“Seems to be a habit of hers.”

“I think she needs to get off the ship. Though she had plenty of chances while on Illium, but from what I’ve been told, she rarely left.” I shrugged. “Her problem, not mine. I’m not here to coddle people.”

The night ended a couple of hours later, and I headed upstairs with Kelly that evening, where we simply undressed and lay together before going to sleep. The next morning, I woke early, leaving Kelly to sleep as I dressed and headed to the elevator. I hadn’t slept well, left angrier than I thought about the confrontation in the lounge. Exiting at the engineering level, there was no-one around that early in the morning, heading down underneath to find Jack fast asleep on her cot. I ripped her blanket off her and yanked her out of bed. “On your feet,” I ordered.

“What the fuck?”

“I said on your feet,” I barked. She snarled and summoned her biotics. I moved fast, grabbing her by the throat and spinning her towards the bench nearby. “Disrespect my crew in such a manner again and I will make your life a world of pain.”

I released my grip enough to let her reply. “You’re siding with the cheerleader?”

“No, I’m not. But you were out of line, Jack. I know you hate her. So what? Suck it up, princess. We’re all dealing with shit we’re not enjoying.”

“You’re a real cunt, Shepard.”

I let go of her throat and simply smiled at her. “And you’re nothing but a pathetic little girl, lashing out at everyone because boo-hoo, my life has been hard. Newsflash, princess, you’re not the only one who’s had a hard life. I’ll give you a bit of advice. Maybe if you weren’t such a fucking cunt yourself, people wouldn’t just use and abuse you before discarding you like yesterday’s trash. Maybe give that some thought.”

I turned and walked away. I heard her growl before I heard footsteps, turning to see her charging towards me. No thought of biotics this time. She wanted to get purely physical. All I needed to do was swerve, hold and pin her to the ground on her back. That’s when she summoned her biotics to fling me off her, landing on my own back as she was on me quicker than I imagined. I managed to grab her wrists, easily fending her off before rolling her onto her back. “Is that all you got?” I asked.

She had no reply to that for a moment before she said, “Wanna fuck now?”

“God yes,” I replied. She had me where she wanted me, and I’d come down with half the intention anyway.

I had her naked within seconds, me naked seconds later, and my cock buried inside her after that. It was pure, unadulterated fucking. She simply held on and begged for it harder, faster, deeper. I pounded her as hard and as relentlessly as possible until I just came inside her. “Fuck, your cock is the best,” she moaned.

I surprised her by kissing her for a moment before she kissed me back. “Your cunt is fantastic too,” I replied.

“Want my arse next?”

“Now?”

“I thought you would have come down last night.” She actually sounded disappointed, but then she shrugged. “Now is fine though. Cum in me first though.”

That’s what I did a couple of minutes later, groaning loudly as I unloaded inside her. Then I surprised her by lifting myself up enough so that I could keep going and play with her clit. She was soon making the sort of noises that suggested she was rather turned on, and within a couple of minutes, I’d made her cum too. When she finally relaxed, she looked as calm as I’d ever seen her.

I pulled out of her as all she did was roll over, reaching into a bag she’d obviously bought for herself, retrieving a bottle of lube, handing it to me as she got on all fours. I gave her arse a good slap as I poured lube and proceeded to lower my tongue. She was definitely surprised by me doing that, reaching back to grab my head. “Yeah, eat that arse, you fucker.”

I did that for a while before introducing my fingers, quickly getting three inside her, really giving it to her quickly, as I started to lube up my cock at the same time. Once I figured she was capable of taking me, I positioned myself behind her as she looked very eager for what was to happen next. Holding her in place with my left hand, I guided my cock to her tight little arsehole, sliding the head of my cock in quickly. I was kind enough to get at least somewhat comfortable before sliding more in.

“Fuck me,” she groaned.

So that’s what Jack got. Nothing gentle nor intimate about Jack getting her arse fucked that morning. It was hard, fast and she… loved it. I was left rather staggered when I lifted myself up, adjusting the angle as my hands were placed to either side of her body, really driving my cock down into her. She just lifted her arse up higher, urging me on even more. After a good ten minutes, I was dripping with sweat and knew I could keep going. I had no idea how she was putting up with it.

Then she asked to change. So I pulled out and wondered what she wanted. She pushed me onto my back, falling with me as she immediately slid down my cock and wasted no time bouncing up and down. “Best cock ever,” she grunted, “So fucking thick, Shepard. Really stretching out my arse.”

“Glad you like it.”

She started to fondle herself at the same time, little wonder that she came again shortly after, but she kept on going, now sweating heavily herself, looking rather tired after our exertions. Not that it mattered, Haestrom was still another day away. She came a third time and that’s when she called it quits, sitting down on my cock and simply breathing deeply, occasionally shaking to my amusement.

She got off me and back on all fours, glancing back. “Cum in my arse, then you can fuck off.”

I wasn’t gentle and she’d done it on purpose. I fucked her as hard as possible, and still she would turn and grin, urging me on even more. I think she was actually incredibly sore but didn’t want to show weakness. Plus, she liked pissing me off and getting this reaction from me. I guess we were both winners? No idea, but once I finally came inside her, I collapsed forward, both of us falling to the ground, Jack trapped beneath me until I finally rolled off her, and I eventually chuckled to myself.

“What?” she asked.

“So much for ‘Yeah, I won’t fuck Jack again’. God, I’m so weak willed sometimes.”

She scoffed. “It was all my plan, Shepard. As I said, I was hoping you’d come down last night, throw me around a little, enjoy a fight, then we’d fuck. Better late than never.”

I eventually got to my feet and found something I could least clean myself up a bit with before I got dressed. Jack just turned around and lay back on her elbows with a care in the world. Naked beneath me like that, I got a good look at her tattoos. And there’s no doubting she had a good body on her. Tits were bigger than you thought as she’d kept them strapped down.

“Yeah, I know you like my tits, Shepard. I don’t have to strap them down any longer so now you can perv on me even more.”

“I’m a simple man.”

“Bet you love my bald cunt even better.”

“You seem to know me well, Jack.”

“Well, next time, don’t take a night to think about it. Just come down and fuck me when given the chance.”

“But making you wait is fun.”

“Fucker.”

“I’ll see you later, Jack.”

Heading back up to my cabin, the first thing I needed to do was shower. Kelly was awake when I returned, so she stood in the doorway watching me. “Jack?”

“Fuck,” I shouted, “I should have known. But it’s my fault too.”

“You wanted it?”

“Part of me, I guess. I was thinking about it last night, then again this morning. Not sex, the argument. I didn’t appreciate her attitude towards Miranda. But I should have seen it coming.”

“Admit it though, Shepard. Part of you must enjoy it.”

“Of course. I’m not going to lie about that. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t. But… she just knows how to push the right buttons. Don’t get me wrong. Absolutely nothing loving about what happens down there.” I turned the shower off and dried myself off before wandering out into the bedroom to grab a change of clothes. Kelly watched me before I sat down on the couch with her next to me. “I should really just avoid going down there. I say some pretty brutal things to her as well. As I’ve said, I’m not here to coddle anyone, and I’m not going to indulge her. I like to believe I’m just giving her some home truths. She’s not the only one who has had a tough life, yet you don’t see the rest of us acting like her. She’s almost like a poorly designed caricature of someone suffering psychosis.”

“But she’s part of your team now, Shepard. You can’t ignore her. And if you both enjoy it, why deny it?”

“And you?”

“I sleep with you at night, Shepard. I get you for hours, and you’ve made it clear that Jack is… well, she isn’t me.”

“She certainly isn’t. I enjoy it at the time, I won’t deny it. But afterwards, nothing but regret.”

“Well, go down there but just control yourself. Don’t let her push your buttons, Shepard.” She paused before adding, “It is nice to see you getting along with Miranda though.”

“She didn’t deserve that sort of teasing. Whether she likes me or not is no-one else’s business.”

“What if she did? Would you do anything about it?”

“I honestly have no idea.” I turned to meet her eyes. “Why would I when I have you?”

That earned me one hell of a kiss before I took her by the hand and led her down to the CIC so we could get to work.

Life calmed down somewhat between that morning and our arrival in the orbit of Haestrom. When I read the profile of the planet, it was rather horrifying to read and was going to make our journey planetside difficult. We attempted communication with the quarians on the ground but heard nothing back. If they already figured out that it was a Cerberus vessel in orbit, little wonder they ignored our hails.

Thinking about the team I would take, I would certainly bring Thane and Samara, as I had only just recruited them. Thane obviously had talent, considering he made it through Dantius Towers alone and alive, while I was sure Samara would be just as if not more powerful than Jack. And as we were deep in geth space, I would need tech experts. Mordin fit the bill easily. He admitted his run ins with actual geth were few and far between, but he would certainly know what to do when facing them. I would also take Garrus and Miranda, as both had experience with tech, and Miranda could also link up her biotic talents with Samara.

Before we left, Mordin and Jacob did pull me into the armoury and showed me the weapons laying on the bench. I’ll admit to getting rather excited. “Obviously we have experienced a lack of heavy weapons, Shepard, so I’ve managed to snag us some,” Jacob explained, “And Mordin has also added one of his own, plus some modifications to the base models I’d managed to get my hands on.”

Mordin took hold of a weapon I’d never seen. “I’m calling this the Arc Projector, Shepard. Putting the finishing touches to it recently. Will now be dealing with geth. Perfect opportunity for some field testing.”

“Okay, you have my interest, Mordin. What does it do?”

“Basically, it fires a high voltage electric shot. Perfect to disable shields. Overload weapons. Destroy synthetic machines like the geth. I’ve performed some test fires. Best training ground is live exercises.” He handed it over and I felt the weight. It wasn’t as heavy as feared, and he quickly showed me how I would be able to store it on my armour. It would fit next to my assault rifle, and wouldn’t be too awkward when wanting to switch between all three weapons. “When fired, the electric current should leap from enemy to enemy if they are close enough. One shot could possibly take out up to three or four.”

“Damn, that’s some good stuff, Mordin. What else have we got?”

“Just your standard launchers, Shepard,” Jacob replied, before he pointed to something underneath a sheet, “But this is something we’ve been working on. It’s not finished yet but it’s a prototype weapon I’ve never seen. Thank Mordin here as it could one day come in useful.” Taking away the sheet, I could only whistle at what lay underneath it. “We’ve called it the M-920 Cain. I’ll put it in easily understandable terms, Shepard. For all intents and purposes, it’s a mini nuclear weapon launcher though the 25 gram slug isn’t radioactive. Walk into a room with this and fire, you’ll kill everyone in it with one shot. Best thing. Next to no radiation. All the positives, none of the negatives.”

“And it’s safe to use?”

“Foresee no issues, Shepard. But due to power, would suggest use only in extreme circumstances.”

“I’ll definitely take the Arc Projector for now. Thanks, guys. This is fantastic.”

Heading down to the hangar bay, we loaded up into the shuttle and began our descent onto Haestrom. On our way, EDI filled all of us in with the conditions expected on the ground. The atmosphere of the planet was weak which meant solar radiation would be a problem. The sun was so strong, we would need to stay in shade, otherwise our shields would fail and we’d practically cook inside our armour. Thankfully we all had helmets on though apparently the air was breathable.

“Great, that’s all we need, an unstable sun. Are you going to take us anywhere nice, Shepard?” Garrus complained.

“I just took you to Ilium, Garrus. Did you not have fun there?”

“Well, yes, I guess getting off the ship was nice and all, but I couldn’t trust a damn thing anyone told me, just in case I ended up in a verbal contract that made me a slave.”

“I think you are exaggerating, Garrus,” Samara stated.

Thankfully the shuttle didn’t seem to be effected by radiation, so it could drop us on the surface, thankfully in a good deal of shade, but it was from there that things would occasionally get dicey. Being a former quarian homeworld, I was surprised that so many structures remained standing. It was almost like a mausoleum, despite it having been abandoned for three hundred years. Once everyone was set, I led them forward, moving from cover to cover, each of us ever so watching for approaching geth.

It took us at least all of five minutes before we ran into the first geth, and as I remembered how they were all networked, once one group found us, any geth in the region would know, and we were soon in a firefight. Samara and Miranda quickly linked up biotics while Mordin proved his weight in gold by launching all manner of tech attacks. I did my usual thing, charging forward, laughing away as I slammed into more than one geth unit, almost causing them to disintegrate into pieces, finishing the job with a well-placed shotgun blast.

We did end up finding quarians in the middle of a firefight with geth. We tried to get their attention but, as focused on the geth as they were, we could only watch helplessly as they were killed, though we helped kill the geth at the same time. I did hurry over to check for any sign of Tali. I breathed a sigh of relief when I didn’t recognise any of them.

After finding a way past a blockage, Garrus suggesting we find dynamite while I said why don’t we just climb over the bloody thing, which we did, and we found more geth waiting for us on the other side. Smart geth, who used tactics such as covering fire, ensuring that we had to be just as smart when moving forward, and it was probably the first time I realised how they’d managed to exile the quarians, as it was not easy at all.

“Networked intelligence,” Garrus muttered, “Space stations all around the planet. Smarter than any organic, that’s for sure.”

So, to get around that problem, I used my new toy, whooping with delight whenever I saw the electric current surge from my weapon into the geth I aimed at, only to see it jump from one geth to the next. That allowed my colleagues to wipe out the rest and we could finally move forward. As we moved, we searched rooms and bunkers for information, and I did find a journal entry on an ancient terminal, surprised to hear Tali’s voice as she explained the reason for their mission. She sounded as hopeful and enthusiastic as ever, though when she added she wished Ashley was there, I glanced at Garrus in surprise. “Guess the feelings linger despite everything,” I said.

“They adored each other, Shepard.” He paused. “No, by the end, it was nothing but love. After you died, they had each other and I think parting was the hardest thing they ever had to do. Both have moved on but the bond they created while we were all together…”

“Are human-quarian relations unusual?” Samara wondered.

“Yeah, I guess so,” I replied, “Mostly because of their suits and immune systems. It makes intimacy difficult. Humans crave that.”

“But I do remember what they look like without their masks, Shepard. I remember when Rannoch was a world filled with quarians. They rivalled salarians for their ingenuity.”

“Created geth. Intelligent, yes, but no foresight. Failed to consider ramifications of building geth. Revolt of A.I expected.” Mordin paused. “Their destruction not deserved. Quarians, I mean. Not geth.”

“What do you think of the geth, Mordin?”

“Incredible technology. Worth of study. But menace to galaxy. Need eradicating or at least similar destruction. Return to pre-exodus level of numbers. Ensure hivemind is eliminated.”

“In other words, fuck the geth,” I stated, before gesturing to move out.

Of course, as we’d wiped plenty of numbers, we now had the full attention of the geth, so the arrival of one of their dropships wasn’t a real surprise, watching unit after unit drop from the ship. I immediately charged forward to catch them by surprise, slamming into geth after geth, my fire never wild, every blast hitting its intended target. My colleagues closed ranks in support, moving cover to cover, never offering a target for more than a second or two. We pushed the geth back, as although they were intelligent, they also knew how to retreat. We may have had them on the backfoot, but we didn’t rush, knowing they might be laying a trap.

Bigger geth units started to show up, which meant I just used my new weapon more often. They proved just as susceptible to its fire as the smaller units, though it did take more than one shot to take down the even bigger units, thankfully not meeting more than one or two of those.

Aside from geth, we did find more dead quarians, but they hadn’t gone down without a fight, as they were surrounded by the bodies of geth. We checked them again, still no sign of Tali, so I was confident that she would have found a way to survive all the carnage. She certainly had plenty of experience in that from serving on the _Normandy._

Entering another bunker, I was surprised when I heard her voice, walking over to a terminal and suddenly a hologram of her appeared in front of me. "Hello? Is anyone there? Is there anyone alive?"

“Tali, it’s Shepard.”

“Shepard? What are you doing here?”

“Long story, but it looks like you’re in trouble. Need some help?”

“Yes. I can explain the details of why we’re here later. High-risk strategy but the information we needed was urgent. Keep heading the way you’re going. You’ll eventually like up with someone called Kal’Reegar. He led the marine detachment that’s helped keep me alive so far.”

“Keep going, find Kal’Reegar. Are you safe for now?”

“I should be. All I want is this data, Shepard. I haven’t come all this way, seen all my people killed, just to leave empty handed.”

“No worries, Tali. We’ll be there shortly. Keep your head down for now.”

“I will. See you soon.”

Knowing she was alive was a relief, and without wasting any more time, we continued the way we’d been going. Despite that fact, of course, we didn’t rush forward blindly, remaining methodical as we slowly pushed back and wiped out the geth. The more we killed, the more desperate they fought. And the more desperate they fought, the more dropships would appear, dropping even more geth for us to kill.

Charging as often as I was, muscles were starting to feel the strain, but the mental exhaustion was the worse. After one particular charge, wiping out at least four geth in as many seconds, I practically dropped to the ground, Miranda rushing over to grab hold off me, heaving me behind cover. “Cool down, Shepard,” she ordered, “Your body can’t cope with constant biotic use.”

“I keep forgetting that little bit.”

She took my shotgun away. I was going to complain, but it was a sensible move. “Use your rifle or your heavy weapon. No more shotguns until later.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Just looking after you, Shepard. Can’t afford to lose you now.”

She helped me up, taking the rifle from my back. Giving it a once over, I reverted immediately to my old fighting style, and I ended up working in tandem with Thane. Watching his graceful movement around the battlefield was something else. As I think I stated before, he made killing look like art. Me, I was brute force, overpowering the enemy. He definitely preferred stealth.

Leaving a trail of destruction and dead geth behind us, I was fairly sure we were closing on Tali’s position, as the number of geth we were fighting dropped to zero, but we could hear gunfire ahead. Coming to a giant steel door, I put my ear close to it and heard what sounded like rockets firing. Sliding it open, the first thing I saw was the geth colossus, thankfully not firing at us, unfortunately firing at a nearby quarian squad. Our group immediately sprinted for cover, which did attract its attention. We joined a lone quarian armed with a rocket launcher, who was yelling at us to get into cover.

As I ducked a shot from the colossus, I asked, “Who are you?”

"Squad Leader Kal'Reeger, Migrant Fleet Marines. We talked on the radio before that dropship arrived. Still got no idea why you're here, but this ain't the time to be picky. Who are you?"

“Shepard. This is my team. We’re from the Normandy.”

“Commander Shepard? Should have known you’d arrive. Heard all about you from Miss Zorah.”

“Okay, what’s the situation? I assume Tali is in that building over yonder?”

“Correct. And this colossus is a bitch to take down. It's got some sort of repair protocol. Hunches down and fixes itself before I can destroy the bloody thing." The colossus fired at us again, though it harmlessly sailed over our head.

"And the rest of the geth?"

"Platoon strength at least. And they just keep coming."

"What's the plan?"

"Keep firing until I run out of ammo. I've tried to get in closer to the colossus, but one of those bastards got a shot at me. Went clean through my suit. But I'll keep fighting until that thing is dead."

I glanced at my team. “Right, this is what we do. You split up into two groups, keep it distracted, kill the geth. Once it’s done its repair thing, I’ll hit it with my heavy weapon.”

“Full charge, Shepard. Should destroy it,” Mordin suggested, “Hold down trigger. Three seconds.”

“Will do.” I turned back to Reegar. “Keep firing but stay in cover. We’ve got this.”

“As I said, heard about you from Miss Zorah, Shepard. I know when to keep my head down. Long as you kill the fucking thing. Bastard killed all my men.”

The rather simple plan worked. Samara and Miranda went left, Thane, Mordin and Garrus right, peppering the colossus with gunfire and tech attacks, while keeping the geth troops distracted. The colossus sunk down for a moment, repairing itself. Once it stood back up, I rose from cover nearby, finger already pressing on the trigger. The colossus looked straight at me as I moved my weapon towards it, releasing the trigger and ducked immediately. All I heard was what sounded like a power station overloading before there was an almighty explosion, feeling heat and flames over my head, glancing over to see the colossus had blown up.

Taking out the few remaining geth troops, we moved towards the door, surprised it opened immediately, to find Tali calmly at a terminal, typing away, though she glanced back when we walked in. “Hello, Shepard. I’ll be done here shortly.”

“How the hell are you so calm?”

“Because I knew you were here. If there’s one thing I know you can do, it’s kill a lot of geth and cause random destruction. Am I wrong?”

“There are a lot of geth parts out there right now, Tali,” Garrus stated.

“So, the question is, was it worth it?” I wondered.

“Maybe, I’m not sure. There’s plenty of data in the archives about what is happening with the sun, so at least it’s not a recent phenomenon, so at least we can’t blame the geth this time. I still don’t fully understand it.”

“May I take a copy?” Mordin asked.

“You are?”

“Professor Mordin Solus. Ex-STG. Is the matter dark energy related?”

“Well, yes, I believe it might be a cause.”

“I can research back on Normandy. Hand to colleagues in STG for further analysis.”

Tali looked at me. All I could do was shrug. “Look, I don’t have a clue, but Mordin has brains galore. Either he or someone just like him will figure it all out.”

Tali nodded. “Okay, I’ll download it and…” She paused, looking over my team. “Where’s Reegar?”

“I’m here, Miss Zorah,” he stated from the doorway, turning to see him stagger in, nursing a wound to his side. What surprised me next was that Tali rushed towards him, nothing but concern in her voice and body language.

“Are you okay, Kal? Have you flushed your system yet?”

“Of course, Tali. Don’t worry about me.”

“Who else is going to worry about you, Kal?”

“Well, he was taking on a colossus practically alone for you, Tali,” I said.

“You were?” she asked him softly.

“Of course. You were mission priority. Your safety was paramount. I was warned by your father, of course.”

“And are those the only reasons?” she asked playfully.

He glanced our way and cleared his throat. “Maybe they don’t know, Tali?”

“Oh… right…” She turned around and headed back towards the terminal. “Anyway, as I was saying, Shepard.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. No you don’t, Tali’Zorah. What is going on here?”

“Let me just download the data first. I’ll send a copy to Mordin, then I’ll send one to Kal. I know why you’re here, Shepard. And yes, I’m coming along this time. If you’ve come all this way just to get me, I now realise how important it is.”

“I’ll make sure the information gets back to the Fleet, Tali.”

“Thank you, Kal.”

Miranda called in a shuttle, which landed outside within a couple of minutes. Heading back outside, Tali had a laugh at the obvious destruction that had taken place, suggesting that I hadn’t really changed. We then watched as Tali and Reegar shared the sort of hug that suggested they were rather close, Reegar once again assuring her he was fine to return to their shuttle and then the safety of their fleet. We boarded our shuttle and immediately took off, returning to the _Normandy_ within a matter of minutes, and I ordered Joker to get us the hell out of the system and out of geth space entirely.

After her usual check up with Chakwas, who was overjoyed at seeing Tali back on our ship again, and an introduction with Kelly, she then had a mini-freak out in regards to the presence of EDI, though the AI assured her that it was shackled, so she was nothing like the geth. I don’t think that made her feel particularly safe, but she trusted me, and I had learned to trust EDI, so she let the matter go.

Showing her down to engineering, I introduced her to Gabby and Ken, and told her about Jack downstairs. She actually popped up to say hello, called her a buckethead, then disappeared back downstairs. I thought Tali would take offence, but she admitted it wasn’t so bad, that she’d been called far worse things in her life.

Immediately getting to work, I leaned back against the console as she checked the systems. I could see she was still flowing with adrenaline, as no doubt she’d been rather concerned. “Want to talk about it?”

“Later, Shepard. It’s still fresh in the memory. I lost a lot of good people. Some of them friends.” She paused before adding, rather bitterly, “Fucking geth.”

“Can’t disagree with that. I was also asking about someone else, though.”

“Kal?” I nodded. “Well, I thought it was obvious. We are together, Shepard. Have been for around eighteen months.”

“That’s good, Tali. Glad you’re happy.”

She sighed. “Thank you. And I really am. Kal is a good man. Brave. Noble. Some reminders of you, to be honest, though that is _not_ the reason we are together. We’re a good match. Brains and brawn.”

“And Ashley?”

“I still love her though the feelings have faded gradually. I’m devoted to Kal now.” She did look up and added, “We have been intimate, Shepard. And that’s a big thing for two quarians. Generally, we just link suits to show trust and devotion. I wasn’t having that. When I told Kal about some of the things that happened, he leapt at the chance to be with me intimately.”

“You’ve said devoted twice. Do you love him?”

She slapped my arm playfully. “Of course I do, Shepard. More than anything. I just wanted to put it in a way to show… Well, how much I do. I think I worry about him more than he worries about me at times. He’s always in the thick of the action.”

“Work with you often?”

“No, otherwise it would cause a conflict of interest. He’d focus too much protecting me instead of ensuring the success of the mission. Haestrom was the first time we’d worked together in months, but it was two teams. I led the scientists, he led the marines. It went belly up in minutes, of course. Any mission into geth space ends up a disaster, but we simply have to do it to learn.”

“Have you sent a message to the Fleet?”

“I did while I was downloading the data, letting them know I was going with you. I’m sure my father will send you a reply within a solar day. It will be formal with a subtle underlying tone of threat to it.”

“I’d expect nothing less. Now, before I leave you to it, do you want anything?”

“Where are your quarters?”

“At the top of the ship. Get in elevator, press one. That’s my cabin.”

“I might pop up later so we can catch up. Unless you’re busy doing something or someone else.” I gave her a look and she simply met my eyes. “I know you, Shepard. Remember?” I nodded. “So, I also know you’re going to have company up there. I’m just wondering…”

“Kelly.”

“Ah, the redhead I met briefly. She seemed cheerful and rather friendly.” She nodded. “Yes, she’d be a good match for you.”

“She is.”

She looked at me again. “Oh, it sounds as if you do really like her?”

“I do.”

“Well, I want to hear more about it when I come visit then. For now, let me have a look at your systems, see if I can do anything to help.” She glanced past, adding, “And I guess I should introduce myself to my new colleagues.”

“Gabby and Ken, this is Tali. Tali, Gabby and Ken. And on that note, I’ll leave you to it, as I’m sure you’re going to discuss things I don’t understand. Tali, I’ll have Miranda send you details of how the ship works. You won’t be put on the rota. Work as you please, but I know you like to keep busy.”

“See you later, Shepard.”

Heading upstairs, I dumped my armour and weapons with Jacob, who was already stripping and cleaning the weapons we’d taken with us. Surprisingly, he never showed disappointment when not taken on a mission, perfectly happy in the armoury to work on the guns, making modifications to them or our armour, or he’d simply keep himself fit down in the gym. I’d wander in most days to shoot the shit with him a for a little while too.

Checking my terminal, there wasn’t a message from the Migrant Fleet yet, though I expected one, walking over to give Kelly a soft kiss on the cheek, which made her giggle, before letting her know we would have company that evening, at least for a little while. She asked if we wanted privacy but I assured her Tali would have no problem talking in front of her. After a chat with Mordin, asking questions about the data and receiving answers that went well over my head, my last stop was Miranda, asking if she had any more dossiers. When she said no, I told her we’d simply head to safe space and go from there.

“Shepard,” she called, when I just about to walk out. I turned back and walked towards her. “About the other night. Thank you.”

“Um, for what?”

“For standing up for me. I can do that myself, but you at least tried to defuse the situation. I knew I couldn’t react as she was clearly trying to provoke.”

“Um, you do realise the next morning…”

“I know, but I don’t care. That’s between you two. But when it came to the personal attacks on myself, you did what was right. So, thank you.”

“I’ve told her to lay off but we both know what she is like.”

“Which is why I won’t rise to it. Turn the other cheek as they say.”

“If it happens again when we’re all together, I’ll make sure I’m more forceful and stamp it out quickly.”

“Shepard, I do have one question I’m slightly afraid to ask…”

“I think I know, but just bite the bullet.”

“Do you not wonder if she was telling the truth?”

“It doesn’t matter if she was or not. I like to believe we have a good working relationship now, Miranda. We’re both professionals, are we not?”

“We are.”

“And do you think we work together well?”

“Better than ever, in all honesty.”

“Then that is the most important thing. Ignore what Jack had to say. She was teasing and looking for a reaction. You’re feelings are your own. Don’t let anyone tell you anything different.”

She smiled, a genuine one, the sort that lit up her face. It happened so rarely, I couldn’t help grin at her in return. “Thank you, Shepard.”

“Not a problem, Miranda. Do you need anything else?”

“No, not at the moment.” I turned and was ready to head back out when she asked, “One more question, Shepard?”

I turned back again. “Shoot.”

“Do you find me attractive?”

“Absofuckinglutely, Miranda. You’re fucking gorgeous.”

She didn’t just smile. She blushed as well. All she could do was nod and I headed out the door. To be honest, while I would have happily enjoyed sexual relations with her, I enjoyed the fact I could be friends with an attractive woman and for sex not to be involved. Keeping it professional was probably the best thing we could do.

Dinner that night was a good laugh as Tali was introduced to everyone. Garrus seemed pleased that another old crew member of the _Normandy_ was now on board, seeming to be more relaxed than before. She didn’t get too personal though did tell us about a few of the missions she’d been up to recently. There was a common denominator, and that was she had been specifically targeting anything to do with the geth. I had the feeling there was a lot of hate stored up behind that suit and mask. I didn’t blame her one little bit.

Tali did join Kelly and I in our cabin that night for a drink or two, and she was delighted by the fact I had turian brandy for her. She went into more detail about her life since the day the old _Normandy_ blew up, including her parting of ways with Ashley. Even two years later, her voice quivered when telling me. There was her triumphant return to the fleet, then joining the _Neema_, the missions she’d been on, and her private war against the geth, as until she met me on Freedom’s Progress, she’d blamed them for my death.

She also told me about the romance with Kal’Reegar. He’d always been friendly, but friends turned into something more quite quickly as the attraction was immediate. As she was the daughter of an admiral, the relationship did need his blessing, and although he may have wished privately for someone else, he eventually gave in and allowed it. “The first time we made love was wonderful,” she said, “Which is why I certainly won’t be considering returning to your bed, Shepard. We had a lot of fun, but I’m faithful to Kal.”

“I’d expect nothing less, Tali.”

“So, since we last met, you’ve obviously met up with Garrus. Who else have you seen?”

“Emily on the Citadel. The reporter.” She nodded, obviously remembering. “Been to Illium. Liara is there, though I think you’re aware.”

“We’ve kept in contact.”

“Shiala was with Liara, though Shiala lives on Feros now. I also met Gianna there too.”

“Who did you sleep with while there?”

“She knows you well, Shepard,” Kelly said with a giggle.

“Well, Gianna. Spent at least two nights and a whole day with her. Then a night with Liara and Shiala.”

Tali giggled. “Nothing has changed then.”

“I also ran into Ashley on Horizon. That reunion didn’t go so well. We’ve messaged since but… it’s not the same as before.”

“And it’s obvious why, Shepard. No offence, Kelly, but what we discovered before Shepard died lingers in the memory.”

“I’ve been told, Tali. I know.”

“Let’s just say my life is markedly different since before,” I added, “I’m a Council Spectre, but the only reason I am is because they threatened me with treason otherwise, and I don’t think they wanted to go down that road. And the Alliance… well, no idea what their intentions are. I daren’t go to Arcturus in case I find myself arrested. Earth is simply out of the question.”

“So after all this?”

“I really don’t know. Won’t be joining Cerberus though.”

Tali enjoyed around three drinks with us before calling it a night, enjoying a hug with Kelly before giving me a long, tight embrace. “Glad you’re back, Shepard. And thanks for coming to get me,” she whispered.

“Glad to help out. And good to have another familiar face around. So to speak.”

Once we were alone, I really needed a shower after the exertions of the day, Kelly joining me as we enjoyed some cuddle time alone under the hot water. After drying off, we headed to bed where she spooned her body into mine and relaxed, running my fingers up and down her chest. She seemed rather content with life as I softly kissed her cheek, her neck, her collarbone, earning a giggle her and there.

“Shepard,” she whispered, “I love you.”

“I know, Kelly. I’ve known for quite a while.”

“Do you love me?”

“Absolutely. Enough to promise the following. On this ship, no-one else from this moment. I don’t care who it is, or what they offer.”

“You don’t have to.”

“But I want to. Maybe prove to myself I don’t need to stick my cock into anything with tits and a vagina. I’m not saying I won’t…”

“God no, Shepard. Do _not_ do that to Gianna. Or Liara and Shiala. Or any of the others.” She turned over to kiss me on the lips. “I’m not asking for anything at all, Shepard. I just had to give in finally and admit how I feel.” She rested a hand on my chest. “You do whatever you want to do, Shepard. I am not one of those women who expects their man to change into something I want them to be. I’ve fallen in love with who you are, not some idea of what I expect you to be.”

“Okay. Then I’ll do my best with what I want to do then.”

Having told each other our feelings, we then showed each other with intimacy. And the sex we shared over the next hour or so was the best yet, our bodies, hearts and minds almost merging into one as her body wrapped around mine, my cock gently buried inside her, our mouths rarely apart, our eyes only for each other. I drank in her body, fingers finding all the right spots, my tongue finding zones that brought her nothing but pleasure. We rode the crest until our appetite for each other was sated once again, at least for a little while, Kelly curling into me as I continued to caress her back.

I kissed her cheek as I felt her start to drift off, lowering my mouth to her ear. “I love you,” I whispered before I closed my eyes and allowed sleep to overcome me as well.


	31. Book 2, Chapter 12 - Trial

I could hear the crashing from outside his room but, with it locked from the outside, at least the destruction was kept to his quarters. “I really don’t think you should go in there, Shepard,” Miranda stated.

“Well, something is clearly wrong with him and I guess we should find out what’s wrong.”

“I think you should at least go in armed, lest he really try and cause you damage as well.”

“Back up too, because something clearly has him riled up,” Zaeed added.

“Okay, you’ve just volunteered. You too, Miranda. Let’s go armour up, grab some weapons, then head in.”

Jacob was wondering what was going on as the three of us put on armour, grabbing my favourite shotgun, Zaeed a rifle, Miranda her SMG. Jacob suited up, bringing a shotgun too, heading back downstairs. Gathering outside the door, Jack seemed to know something was up, immediately glowed blue, and joined our line. Without glancing back, I gestured a countdown before breaching, opening the door and immediately leading the way in, my shotgun immediately falling upon Grunt, taking a knee as the others followed in and aimed. Grunt stopped and looked our way, noticing four weapons and a small biotic woman ready to open fire.

“Grunt, what the fuck are you doing in here?” I asked.

He growled, though didn’t approach, recognising the fact four weapons were trained on him. I didn’t want to open fire, as the other three would fire immediately, but if I needed to, I would. “Something is wrong, Shepard. I feel wrong. Tense. I just want to kill something. With my hands.” He strolled to the glass window overlooking the hangar bay.

“So what’s new?” I asked, adding a little humour.

“No, more so than usual, Shepard. Like it’s not my choice. Like I just want to, I don’t know…” He roared and slammed his head into the window. It was made of strong stuff, but it still cracked as he turned, walking towards us. “See? Why do that? What’s wrong?”

“Shepard, I might have suggestion.”

“I’m all ears, Zaeed.”

“I think our baby krogan is going through puberty. Maybe we need to take him to Omega and get him laid?”

“A couple of asari dancers and a room for a couple of hours?” Jack asked.

“Hmmm. I wouldn’t mind another visit,” I muttered, immediately thinking of Tara. We sent messages quite often. Kelly knew all about it, of course. She thought it was rather sweet, and knew that Tara liked me quite a bit in return, as she’d read some of her messages. She’d even said, if we ended up back on Omega, she wouldn’t mind me visiting her for a little fun, dropping hints that she might just come along. When she offered that, we definitely enjoyed some hot and heavy sex afterwards. Another reason why I loved her. She was so open-minded about everything.

“Just a suggestion, Shepard. Maybe he just needs to pop his heat sink and he’ll calm down.”

I laughed at the euphemism. “Okeer didn’t imprint anything to help you figure this out?” I asked Grunt.

He shook his head as he began to pace again. I’d dropped my shotgun slightly, but he still looked tense, as he said. I didn’t know if he’d just lose it eventually. “I see pictures of old battles, voices of warlords. But this is… a blood haze in my head.” He growled again, and I raised my shotgun at him. He barely noticed as he was turned away. “I want control. When we’re moving, fighting, I focus. But here, my blood screams, my plates itch, and even you are just noise!”

“Ooh, that’s gotta sting, Shepard,” Jack joked quietly

“I’m tank born, Shepard. I don’t know. What’s is all this?”

“I’ll be honest, Grunt. I don’t know. Okeer died before he could tell us anything about you, and if he didn’t put anything into your head, then I’m at a loss. The only suggestion I can make is that we find another krogan who knows what is happening to you.”

“You mean we should head to my homeworld. Tuchanka.” He paused and shook his head. “I won’t ask you to go there, Shepard. I will control this.”

“Out of the question, Grunt. I need everyone at their best. No distractions. And it’s obvious whatever is going on you will probably only get worse over the following weeks and months. Joker can get us into orbit over Tuchanka without a problem. It’s only getting groundside that concerns me.” I paused before adding, “Good thing for you is that I do have an old friend now living on Tuchanka. He may be able to help.”

“Thank you, Shepard. I don’t like this. Fury is my choice, not a sickness.”

“Still think he needs to get laid, Shepard,” Zaeed muttered as I lowered my weapon.

“You just want to go back to Omega, Massani.”

“Hey, lots of pretty asari dancers. An old man like me learns to appreciate how nubile and flexible a one-hundred-year-old asari can be.”

I turned and gestured for everyone to store their weapons as Grunt was still tense, but he had calmed down enough for me to not feel it necessary to shoot him if it got worse. “Head downstairs if it gets bad and start beating up boxing bags instead of destroying your room,” I suggested.

I left Grunt alone, thanking everyone for joining me, as I headed upstairs to the CIC. Kelly asked if the situation downstairs was now okay and I assured her it was as I stepped up to the galaxy map. Inputting the destination, I wasn’t surprised by the immediate reaction from Joker. _“Okay, Commander, I’ll take us there immediately. But you do know that airspace around Tuchanka is a demilitarised zone, there is an exclusion zone in addition to that, a no fly zone in addition that, and turian patrols ensure most visitors are processed before they head groundside.”_

“That makes having an invisible ship a bonus, Joker. We should get in and out without someone taking an interest in our arrival.”

_“And they will fire upon us if we are seen and ignore their hails.”_

“So make sure we are not seen, Joker.”

“_I swear, sometimes you’re just looking for an excuse so we end up in a battle again. Anyway, plotting our course. We should arrive within two days.”_

“Just get us there in one piece, Joker. That’s all I ask.”

I immediately thought of who I’d take to the ground and, in the end, I decided I’d take everyone, simply because if we could get anywhere near where Wrex was located, I’d like everyone to meet him. So that’s when I got in touch with Liara, asking if she could send me any information she had about him. Within the day, she’d sent me all the information I could hope for, including a rundown of Tuchanka itself, the political situation, and also a synopsis of Wrex and what he’d been up to since his return. What I learned after reading it all is that he’d been one hell of a busy man.

In addition, Liara also sent me some rather explicit photos of herself, and also a video of herself and Shiala being very naughty. I immediately asked if I was okay if I shared with Kelly, and she said it was fine. So I showed Kelly a few of her photo’s. Kelly said she was beautiful, I told Liara, and soon Liara and Kelly were messaging back and forth, and I had a feeling they would become fast friends. Kelly’s personality was that infectious.

The night before arriving, Kelly and I were in the middle of making love as usual, my beautiful redhead slowly riding my cock, my hands running all over her body, completely exposed to touch wherever I wanted. “I love your cock,” she whispered. I was simply mesmerised by the way she moved, gently rising up and lowering herself down, using a free hand to gently rub her clit at the same time.

I sat up so I could lick and suck at her nipples, making her giggle and moan all at once, one of her hands resting on the back of my head as I alternated from one to the other. “Do you love my breasts?” she breathed.

“Absolutely. They’re wonderful.”

Despite the fact we’d made love constantly, despite the fact I thought she was beautiful, she still worried. Everyone did. Even I did. “I always thought they were a little small.”

“No. They’re perfect for you, gorgeous.”

She pushed me back down onto the bed, leaning forward to kiss me. Running my fingers down her back, I bent my knees as she adjusted, starting to ride me faster as I began to move to meet her. “Fuck yes,” she moaned before kissing me. She couldn’t do that for long, breaking it and releasing a longer moan. “How do you do this to me every time?” she asked with a giggle.

“I like to think I know your body rather well, Miss Chambers.”

“You think? I think you know just how well you know it, Shepard.” She kissed me again. “I’m close,” she whispered, “So close, but I don’t want to cum yet.”

“Well, just keep going like I know you want to.”

She couldn’t help giggle. “You definitely know me too well, I think.”

She eventually enjoyed two orgasms before I rolled her onto her back, watching as she folded her legs right back, allowing me to get nice and deep inside her. Then she just begged me to fuck her and cum, and she got what she wanted within a couple of minutes, groaning loudly as I came, before I needed to relax, feeling her light kisses all over my face. “I love you so much,” she whispered, hearing a slight quiver in her voice. Opening my eyes, she smiled. “Once I finally told you, I just feel even better.”

After our usual post sex shower, as we never liked to sleep after the exertion, sweat and other bodily fluids, she was cuddled up into me as always, enjoying the way I ran my fingers up and down her body. She loved the way I would sometimes just look at her. Not stare. Definitely not leer. Just appreciate how beautiful she was. She knew, even after all this time, the subtle reminders, but I’d accepted them in my own head by now. It wasn’t why I’d chosen to be with her, and definitely not why I’d fallen in love with her. But I certainly had a type I liked.

“Shepard, would you ever want me to join you and Liara one day for sex?”

“I’ll be honest, I hadn’t actually thought about it. Why?”

“I’m just wondering, because I think Liara is laying a subtle suggestion in her messages with me that she’d like to meet me in person, and that if she likes me, then she’s going to suggest a little more than just dinner and drinks.”

“Would you be interested?”

“Definitely. As I said, I think she’s beautiful, as is Shiala. You have very good taste in regards to your asari lovers, Shepard. As for Tara on Omega, she was just adorable. I couldn’t believe it when you told me how old she was.”

“Well, this has given me something to think about at least. Leave it with me and I’ll see what happens. But we’ll definitely go back to Illium before we journey on through the Omega Four.”

“What about Gianna?”

“Hmmm. I don’t know. She accepts this but I’m not sure she’d be in to sharing in that manner. And I don’t really want to ask, because I don’t expect it. I know how open minded you are, Kelly. As I’ve said, another reason to love you. But while Gianna is open minded about the fact I’m not monogamous, there’s sharing when she’s not around, but I think she wants me to herself when she is.”

“That’s okay, Shepard. I can certainly understand her point of view. I get you to myself right now, but I’ve had experiences with asari before. They are very… sexual. They know what they like, have no problem admitting it, and I think consider many humans rather prudish in regards to their own view on sex. You and I being the obvious exceptions.”

We had some more fun the next morning as I woke up to Kelly between my legs, making slow love to my cock with her mouth and tongue, but offering to return the favour by swinging her body around was quickly accepted. I only teased her until she made me cum then I could give her my full attention. I made sure she spun around as she sat on her face, practically drowning me with her pussy as one of her hands held my held in place, rubbing her slit up and down. “Eat my pussy,” she demanded, before she giggled. I laughed at the same time, which made her laugh even more. “Sorry, it’s just really good.”

“I don’t mind,” I managed to murmur.

“Make me cum, Shepard!” she added, her tone one of complete authority.

So I made her cum hard, and she needed to fall off my face, giggling away as her body quivered as I sat on my knees, where she looked at me expectantly. Then I tickled her, causing her to laugh even more, and she had little defence, any piece of exposed skin soon found by my fingers. I tickled her until she claimed she was going to either wet herself or pass out, so I relented, hearing her continue to giggle as lay down next to her, rolling into my body, still giggling occasionally.

After our usual morning shower, we dressed and headed downstairs, Kelly cuddled into my side as we had no problem showing our affection for each other now. Everyone knew we were together and in love, as Kelly had let it slip one night that we’d confessed our feelings. Jack thought that was hilarious, though I ignored that, and had since made it known that I wouldn’t be playing her game any longer. She just told me fuck off and go fuck myself. I ignored that and she’d barely spoken to me since. Garrus was surprised I’d actually say those words to someone else, though knew I’d told Gianna. Samara thought it was wonderful, and she had a wistful look in her mind, as if remembering a great love she’d once felt. Miranda… Miranda was jealous. I recognised it, she knew I recognised it, but I wasn’t going to approach her about it. It would simply remain unspoken.

Taking my usual seat across from Garrus, Tali was now sitting next to him as Kelly sat next to me. Tali had really hit it off with Kasumi for some reason, the pair already thick as thieves, from what I’d been told. Kasumi has taken a shine to most people on the ship, not seeming to mind the Cerberus connection, judging people based on their character, not their affiliation.

“We’ll be in Tuchankan orbit by midday, ship time,” Joker reported from down the line.

“Excellent. I hope you’re all ready,” I stated, “Because Tuchanka is like nowhere we’ve ever been.”

“Are we expected?” Miranda asked.

“I’m not sure. Liara didn’t mention if she had contact details for Wrex. Garrus?”

“No, his details might have changed. I sent one or two messages while on Omega but heard nothing back.” I looked at Tali and she shook her head too. “As we’ve said, Shepard, we split up and simply moved on. Some of us simply tried to forget the past.”

“Well, once Joker reports we’re in orbit, we’ll suit up, tool up, then head down and find out what to do with Grunt. I take it he’s still in his quarters?”

“He suggested it was safer he stayed confined to quarters until we arrive, Shepard,” Miranda replied.

“Good thinking.”

“Still think a stop at Omega would also help,” Zaeed suggested, “Maybe Wrex will suggest the same thing. Get him laid and he’ll stop acting out.”

“Or we can just go there anyway because you clearly want something, Zaeed,” Garrus added.

“There was an asari dancer I was pretty sweet on. I’ll admit it. Cute little thing. Asari, of course. Firm little butt. Nice set of little tits. Legs that went on for days. Could have watched her dance every day until I died.”

“So you didn’t even do anything with her?” Garrus asked.

“Nope. Not saying I didn’t want to, but sometimes, a man is happy just watching a beautiful woman dance.”

“Would you like to see me dance, Shepard?” Kelly wondered.

“Yes,” I replied immediately, to the laughter of Garrus and Tali, “Yes, I’d like that very much.”

“Well, I might just have to do a little shopping then. Do a proper striptease for you.”

I leaned closer. “You’re just trying to turn me on in the mess,” I whispered.

“Guilty as charged,” she replied with a smirk. I just kissed her cheek and resumed eating.

After breakfast, I headed downstairs for some training, Jacob joining me like he did most mornings. Miranda headed down as well, also joining in, something she had recently started doing, telling us that she used to do it alone but now preferred some company. Every passing week, she was coming out of her shell. I may have been harsh to start with but she’d taken some of my suggestions to heart. She now conversed with the crew a lot more, getting to know them. I still hadn’t learned of her entire life story, knowing she’d tell me when she felt comfortable.

She could be a little distracting when dressed in just lycra shorts and a sports bra, hair tied up in a ponytail as she jogged on the treadmill. I may have had one or two unsavoury thoughts as I watched her sweat away, such as I wouldn’t mind licking it off her body once she was done. Jacob eventually disappeared, so I grabbed a bottle for Miranda and I from the nearby fridge, waiting until she was finished before handing it to her. She smiled, offering thanks, before necking nearly the entire bottle.

“Good workout,” I suggested.

“Gets the blood flowing, Shepard. You know as well as I do.”

“Ready for the later?”

“Of course. Heading to Tuchanka doesn’t bother me. I survived Omega, and that place is the definition of shithole.”

“I have a feeling Tuchanka is worse.”

I took a sip of water and definitely gave her the once over against as she stood in front of me. She was certainly paler than one would expect. Probably paler than Kelly, to be honest. Toned stomach, though. Whether natural or otherwise, I didn’t know. Legs were fantastic. Her arse was even better. Yep, many unsavoury thoughts were had about her nowadays.

“Want a quickie?” she asked.

“Huh?”

“You’re looking rather interested, Shepard. Not subtle at all. Want a quickie?”

“You’re serious?”

“You’ve told me you find me attractive, Shepard. And damn if I don’t know what you’ve got to offer. So, all you need to do is peel off my lycra, as I’m going commando here, lay me back and just fuck me.”

I looked around, wondering if there were hidden camera’s watching, before looking back at Miranda. “Trust me, a large part of my body is screaming to say yes right now. But I also told Kelly I’d try, really try, to be good, at least while on the ship.”

She finished her bottle, placing it down before walking to where I was sitting on a crate, sitting on my lap, her breasts in my face for a moment before she was eye level. She simply met my eyes for a moment. “I don’t think she’ll mind, Shepard.”

“I know but… I’m trying to be a slightly better man.” I paused before adding, “I’ll admit this is… different.”

“As you said, our relationship is different. You look at me and past that symbol. I’ve always thought you were fantastic, Shepard, even when you were being… harsh.” She paused before adding quietly, “And yes, I’m jealous, Shepard. Happy for you and Kelly, but _incredibly_ jealous. I put two years of my life rebuilding you. I felt like I knew you more than anyone else. Then when you woke up, everything went wrong. I certainly wasn’t hoping for romance, but I did hope… that you’d see past the symbol. It took far longer than I thought, and by then…”

“So you’re on my lap now because?”

“I know Kelly doesn’t mind you being with other people, Shepard. I know you’ve had Jack a couple of times.”

“No longer. That dynamic wasn’t healthy.”

“So what about me?” she asked quietly, looking away, and for perhaps the first time, the outwardly confident Miranda sounded completely unsure.

So I gently moved her face back with a finger to look back at me. “I think you’re beautiful, Miranda,” I said softly, which made her smile and blush all at once, “But…” She opened her mouth. “Let me finish, because there has to be one. But I am with Kelly, and I have told her I want to try. Certain parts of me are now screaming at me for saying this. I look at you and want to see what’s underneath the sports bra and shorts.”

“You only need take them off,” she whispered, leaning in closer, her hand running down my cheek, “I know you want to. She’ll understand, Shepard. She knows what I want, and she’ll know why you wanted me too.”

I’ve said before, and I’ll say it again, when it comes to certain women, I am a very weak-willed man. I kissed her. I kissed her hard, definitely taking her by surprise before she replied kind. One of my hands immediately went to her breasts, giving them a squeeze. Fake, but they were fantastic. I had her sports bra off rather quickly, feeling her nipples harder as I squeezed, finally breaking the kiss as she leaned back so I could use my mouth on them.

Rock hard myself, Miranda could certainly feel it underneath my shorts, already starting to grind against me as I kissed back up her chest, her neck, before kissing her again. She managed to stand up, peeling off her lycra shorts, before sitting on me again. The only thing she was now wearing were her socks and shoes. I glanced down to see only a small strip of hair above her pussy.

“I’ve wanted this for ages,” she admitted between kisses.

“Me too,” I admitted.

“Really?” she asked in surprise, leaning back, clearly shocked.

“Yeah. Our chats have been better and better, and as I admitted to you, you’re fucking gorgeous. And when I find a woman gorgeous, I can accept being friends with her, but if she offers or wants something more, I’m generally not going to say no.”

I stood up, and Miranda was definitely impressed that I could carry her to the nearest bench, eventually unwrapping her arms and legs. I was just about ready to go down on her when the comm line opened up.

“_Commander, we are approaching the relay heading into Tuchankan airspace.”_ Miranda and I both groaned in frustration as I now had an erection that needed to be slipped inside someone. _“Once we are through the relay, approximately twenty minutes from there.”_

“Thank you, Joker. We’ll get ready.”

_“Aye-aye, Commander.”_

I met her eyes. “I’m not just giving you a quick fuck, Miranda. This happens, it’s being done properly.” I paused before adding, “And I need to tell Kelly. I can’t hide it from her. If she’s not happy, then… it can’t happen. If she doesn’t mind, then we’ll see how things go.”

“Damn it,” she muttered as she looked away.

So I made her look back at me again. “Hey, it’s clear I want this too. I was eager to get you naked rather quickly, and you definitely felt my excitement.”

“God yes,” she whispered.

“So we’re attracted, that’s for sure. But there are other things that matter in all this. And I know you understand that.”

“I do.”

I helped her down from the bench as she walked over to collect her things, dressing quickly before we walked back to the elevator. She got out at the mess level as I headed straight to my cabin, a quick shower, before heading down to the CIC to grab my things. Some of the others were in the middle of grabbing weapons and armour. No-one gave me any funny looks, so I could only assume we hadn’t been seen.

Heading forward, I looked out the front of the ship as Joker took us through the relay. Ahead in the distance was Tuchanka. “Running silent again, Commander.”

“Try and avoid the patrols. I don’t want anyone knowing we’re here if we can. If the Council learn later that we were here, they can write an angry letter which I’ll just throw out the airlock.”

“Getting us there won’t be a problem, Commander. But depending on how long you’re down there, I may need to keep us mobile to avoid detection.”

“I’ll leave that in your capable hands while we’re gone.”

Heading back to the galaxy map, I could follow the course Joker had mapped out before kissing Kelly on the cheek. “We need to talk when I get back,” I whispered.

She didn’t look concerned at all. She probably already knew. “Of course, Shepard. Just don’t go getting yourself injured down there.”

“I love you.” God, it felt a little empty saying it. I meant it. I loved her like crazy. But after…

She turned and kissed me softly on the lips. “I love you. Always will, Shepard, so hopefully that will ease your mind in regards to what you want to discuss later.”

Wandering into the armoury, the rest had already headed downstairs to I grabbed my helmet, stored my weapons, swapping out the Arc Projector for a simple missile launcher, and headed downstairs to brief the team before we loaded up and headed to Tuchanka.

* * *

Grunt had listened to the instructions of his commander, but his eyes were taken by the vidscreen as the shuttle bucked and weaved as it entered the atmosphere of Tuchanka. What his eyes could see, he already knew about, the implants from Okeer letting him know that his homeworld was nothing but irradiated ruins from centuries of devastating war. The krogan had once marched across the galaxy, and at their apex, they were on the verge of domination. Then came the genophage, the krogan were neutered, and now they barely survived as a species.

Shepard stated that they were headed towards the chief city of Clan Urdnot. There was nothing resembling a city from what he could see. He heard more than one disparaging comment from those around him, but while he should have been angered, they spoke only the truth. Little wonder that krogan warriors left their homeworld in droves, seeking their livelihoods in other areas of the galaxy. The prospect of anything other than scraping to survive of Tuchanka was slim.

The shuttle slowed and then started to descend, entering what he knew was an underground bunker. Thousands had been built over the centuries. First when the krogan had nuked their own world, causing a nuclear winter. More were built during the krogan rebellions and when the other species of the galaxy unleashed the genophage.

Stepping off behind Shepard, he noticed many krogan on guard, and they immediately took offence to the fact Mordin was with them. He almost laughed when Shepard told them to fuck off, the two krogan guards immediately spoiling for a fight. Shepard ignored them, simply moving on, telling Mordin to stay in the ground. If needed, he’d fight the krogan off. Grunt could only chuckle at his tone. Shepard was a man who did not fuck around.

There were no signs telling them where to go, Shepard simply wandering ahead until they exited into an enormous cavern. More krogan were standing about, and these all wore the same coloured armour. Shepard had mentioned Urdnot Wrex. Grunt searched his memories, and while the name seemed familiar, it had not been formed in his mind alongside the greater krogan names of years past, those who had helped the krogan rise into a nuclear power, or the great generals who had led the charge across the stars.

Ahead, sitting on a large mound of debris, was an enormous krogan, even larger than himself, sitting on a stone throne. He was currently in conversation with a trio of other krogan, clearly subservient to him. However, their arrival definitely sparked the interest of the krogan sitting down, lifting his head from the clenched first it had been resting against as he rose tall. “Shepard?”

Shepard raised his hand in greeting. “Hello, Wrex!”

Wrex burst into laughter, pushing the others out of his way as he jogged down the mound. “Shepard, my friend!” The two shook hands immediately and one could see this was the greeting of two warriors who had fought alongside each other. Absolute respect in a simple gesture. “You’re alive!”

“That I am, old friend. It’s been a long time.”

Wrex laughed again, clearly delighted to see him. “I should have known that even the void couldn't keep you."

The handshake ended as Shepard stepped to the side, gesturing in their direction. “Before introductions, you should meet Grunt.”

“Approach,” Wrex stated with a gesture. Grunt stepped forward before stopping, coming to attention. It was almost muscle memory, what he’d been trained to do in the tank. "Grunt, you say? From which clan do you hail?"

"I have no clan. I was tank-bred by Warlord Okeer…"

Wrex glanced towards Shepard. "You have had dealings with Warlord Okeer, Shepard?" he asked, and there was a tone of malice he didn’t expect.

Shepard shared an obvious glance with his colleagues. He had obviously noticed the change in tone. "Yes and no. The long and short is that I'm currently putting together a team to take on the Collectors. One of the dossiers was to recruit Warlord Okeer. The whole thing went tits up and we were left with Grunt." He paused a second. "What's the issue with Okeer?"

"Okeer is a very old name. And a much hated name. Anyone with links to Okeer is usually killed on the spot," Wrex explained.

"He's also dead, Wrex," Shepard stated.

Wrex rumbled with laughter. "Of course he is, Shepard. He met you and deserved to die." Wrex looked back at him. "So you were tank-bred and therefore clan-less. Interesting."

"I am pure krogan. You should all be standing in awe," Grunt stated, the words automatic, an implant from Okeer.

“Okeer might have told you that in your tank, whelp, but you have to prove yourself before you can be considered true krogan.” Wrex looked back at Shepard. “So why have your brought him here?”

“There’s something wrong with him. He’s… a little messed up. In the head. I figured he just needed to get laid, but he says that isn’t the problem.”

Wrex leaned in and simply sniffed him before he chuckled, turning back to Shepard. "There's nothing wrong with him, Shepard. He's maturing, becoming an adult."

“There you are, Shepard. I told you we should have just take him to Omega,” Zaeed stated.

“Getting him laid will help him crack one off but it isn’t what he needs. Come, we will need to discuss what is to be done with him. But first…” Grunt stood to the side as Wrex approach the group. When he offered a hand to the turian, there were grumbles from the others.

“You offer your hand to a turian?” one of the krogan said.

Wrex turned around and walked towards him. “Watch your tongue, Uvenk, before I cut it out. Garrus Vakarian is worth the weight of ten krogan warriors. Saved my arse more times than I actually care to count. If there is any turian in the galaxy who is worthy of my respect, it is him. One more word out of turn, and I’ll feed your arse to a thresher maw.”

The handshake he shared with Garrus was friendly, respectful. The hug with Tali was rather sweet. Even Grunt could recognise how gentle he was with her. “My little friend,” Wrex said softly.

“How are you, Wrex?”

“I am well, as you can see. It is good to see you again.”

“You too, Wrex. It’s been far too long.”

“I’ll introduce the rest,” Shepard stating, telling him their names as Wrex offered his hand. He paused as Mordin was introduced, as the hatred the krogan had for the salarians almost outweighed the hate for the turians.

“If you’re alongside Shepard then you’re doing something right, salarian.”

“Prospect of survival now increased. But best to remain quiet otherwise.”

Wrex burst into laughter. “You do recruit some weirdo’s, Shepard.”

“I recruited you, didn’t I?”

Wrex burst into laughter, slapping his hand friend on the shoulder. “Takes one to know one. Come, we should sit and talk. Uvenk, take a hike. I’m tired of hearing your voice. Grunt, follow me. It is time you learned the truth about your people.”

“I will be heard, Urdnot Wrex. If this thing is maturing, then he will need undergo Rite of Passage.”

Wrex came to a stop and turned, walking back towards the krogan. “That is true, what of it? All krogan must undergo the challenge to become true krogan.”

"This is outrageous!" Uvenk shouted, "The Rite of Passage is a sacred trial. This… filth should not be allowed to take part in such a tradition."

Before Wrex could get a word in, Shepard stepped forward and his shotgun was already out. “Urdnot Wrex has already dismissed you. So I’m going to be it plainly. Fuck off.”

Uvenk’s eyes narrowed at Shepard. “You dare challenge me?”

Shepard strode forward until they were inches apart. “Look, you jumped up little shit. I wipe out pieces of shit like you before I’ve barely woken up in the morning. The krogan at your side? I could take them out one handed and blindfolded. I’ve dealt with plenty of people who are all hot air with nothing to back up their words. But I will give you one warning only. You disrespect the men under my command and you disrespect me. Disrespect me and I can assure you my foot will find its way up your arse. Now, as I said before, fuck off before my shotgun barrel finds itself warm from unloading a few shells.”

Wrex bellowed with laughter. Grunt could only watch impressed, as the krogan was twice the size, and a good few inches taller, but Shepard didn’t flinch.

"You have both been warned. This will not stand." Uvenk then turned and walked away.

Shepard made sure they turned and walked away before turning around. “What an absolute thundercunt. How have you not killed him yet?” he asked Wrex.

“Politics. Unfortunately, alliances must be made while my position is secured. He is a price I have to pay for now.”

He followed Wrex and Shepard as they were led towards a mess area, the team spreading out and sitting down as he sat across from Wrex. He was then given an introduction into krogan history. What Wrex called real krogan history, not the propaganda pumped into his brain from someone like Okeer. And what Grunt learned was very different to what he supposedly knew. Many would have called the words out of Wrex nothing but lies, if not outright blasphemy. But he also knew, straight away, that they were true. The genophage was a cruel fate, but the krogan had not been innocents prior to its release.

Grunt listened to every word, asking questions when he figured it was necessary. He learned a lot of the recent past. Wrex also spoke of himself and his own struggles. He had lived for over a thousand years by now and had seen the rise and fall of his people. Yet, even now, he still maintained hope that a brighter future laid on horizon. First, they’d have to fight for it. Then they’d have to negotiate and talk. Stability on Tuchanka was necessary. The clan wars had to end. The krogan to be united, to sing in one voice, and then the galaxy might listen to them once again.

“Will you stand with Clan Urdnot?” Wrex finally asked.

Grunt crossed his arm across his chest, balled first, a solemn bow. “I will stand with you, Urdnot Wrex.”

“So it is done. Once you pass the Rite of Passage, you will fulfil your obligation to my friend. Once you return to Tuchanka, I will put you to work, see what you are made of. Let us see if a tank-born krogan is truly made of the right stuff.”

“What do we need to do?” Shepard asked.

“I will take you to the shaman. He shall explain what is required.”

Wrex, flanked by at least a dozen bodyguards, led the way towards the edge of the area that Clan Urdnot claimed as its capital. Nothing but ruins, barely able to scratch a living, but Wrex had plans. He explained as they walked. Each Rite was different as krogan could be tested in many ways. Most were in regards to their battle prowess, straight of will, test of their character and their heart. Bravery was most important. Cowardice was not acceptable.

The shaman was dressed in flowing robes of blue. Wrex bowed in respect as they arrived. Grunt noticed that Uvenk had already arrived to lodge a protest. Wrex growled unhappily. He was fairly sure even Shepard grunted, testosterone flooding through his body, eager for a fight. _I feel sorry for that redhead woman later. She’s going to get it._

The shaman approached and looked him over, eventually nodding his approval before speaking quietly to Wrex. Eventually the giant krogan turned. “Who here will stand with Grunt?”

Shepard and all his colleagues stepped forward as one. “My name is Shepard. I am the commander of the Normandy. My crew and I will stand at the side of Grunt during his Rite of Passage. We shall battle and defeat whatever we face and return triumphant.”

Wrex slapped him on the back. “Sure you’re not half-krogan, Shepard?”

The human laughed. “There is no doubt this… tank-born has a krantt,” the Shaman stated, “The will of Clan Urdnot is dominant. Your protests are hollow, Uvenk."

"He is unnatural," Uvenk retorted unhappily, "Wrex will forego traditions that have stood for thousands of years for this whelp."

"I will speak for myself. I am pure krogan. You should be standing awe, Uvenk," he stated.

"You are the product of a syringe, nothing more. A science experiment. Your kind has no right participating in such sacred rites."

"Your will is strong, tank-born." The shaman came close and sniffed. "Yes, your right to complete the Rite is accepted."

"My followers are true krogan! Everything about Grunt is a lie!" Uvenk continued to argue.

That’s when Shepard burst forward and launched a furious headbutt into Uvenk. The human staggered afterwards but the shock on Uvenk’s face was something else entirely. “You… dare, human?” Uvenk asked in utter disbelief.

“I do fucking well dare, you worthless piece of shit. Let’s take this outside. You and me. No armour. Bare fists. I will beat the shit out of you and make sure I show you each of your hearts before you die.”

Uvenk looked at the shaman, who merely shrugged his shoulders before saying, "It is your choice, Uvenk. It appears the human may know some of our customs after all."

Uvenk walked towards Shepard, prodding him in the chest. "This is not over, human."

“Touch me again, and I’ll break whatever it is.”

Wrex roared with laughter. “You are half-krogan, Shepard!”

The shaman rumbled with laughter as Uvenk and his few supporters disappeared. "You have brought formidable krantt, tank-born. You have provoked Uvenk. Reason enough for me to like you. Though they will be a problem for you now."

"If they stand in my way, they will die," he stated.

"So what is this Rite exactly?" Shepard asked.

"It is glorious battle, Shepard. That is all you need to know. Grunt and his krantt will be tested. Learn to adapt to any situation. Bring your love of the fight to Grunt's trial and he will succeed. You will need transportation to the Proving Grounds. Once there, you will face the task."

A pair of tomkah’s arrived a few minutes later, everyone climbing aboard as they were transported to the Proving Grounds. As they were driven along, Shepard spoke of his own homeworld, Earth, and how the destruction of Tuchanka matched parts of his own history, when great wars had swept the planet, causing entire countries to be destroyed, though the difference is the fighting stopped and the wars rebuilt.

“Ever drop nukes?” Wrex wondered.

“Only twice. Both times on the same country. It scared humanity so much, we may have built even more bombs, but knew if they were ever launched, our species would end in an instant. They acted more as a deterrent, a defensive rather than offensive strategy.”

“Do you still have the bombs?” Grunt asked.

“Not on Earth. We now have weapons in certain areas of our solar system to ward off anyone who may want to attack our homeworld.”

“We had no such hesitation, Shepard,” Wrex muttered, “We nuked the shit out of each other. Obviously.”

The shattered remains of the city were a testament to that statement. The tomkah bumped along until the brakes squealed and the driver announced their arrival. Climbing out, there was little difference to where they had been except they were now exposed to sunlight, and it was rather hot. He didn’t find it so uncomfortable but most of the others would already be sweating buckets inside their armour.

The shaman led the way until he stood on a ledge before them, spreading his arms wide. "You stand on hallowed ground, tank-born. This was the last city to fall during the Rebellions. At the heart of the city was the keystone. Our planet. Our cities. Our species. We all endure, tank-born. You will learn that over time."

“What do I do?”

"If you wish to join Clan Urdnot, you must contemplate the keystone and its trials."

"What will happen?"

"No-one knows, tank-born. All trials are different. You must adapt and survive. But, more importantly, you must thrive, no matter the situation. It is what the krogan have done for millennia. It is what we will continue to do. Prepare yourselves for what is to come."

The shaman, Wrex, and his bodyguards departed down the tunnel they had entered, pressing a button to close a solid steel door, locking them inside. Shepard took the rifle from his back, gesturing to his team to spread out, his eyes already surveying the area. “What do you reckon?” he asked.

“I don’t know, Shepard. There is nothing Okeer gave me that said anything about this.”

“Well, should be fun then.” Grunt chuckled, thinking Shepard sounded genuinely excited by whatever was going to happen next.

Contemplating the keystone, he took the shotgun from his back, checked it over, and looked over the team. All were armed and ready to face whatever challenges Tuchanka would now throw at it. He pressed the button, turned, and waited.

There was a klaxon and suddenly packs of varren appeared, and they were hungry for blood. Gunfire and biotics were fired at the varren immediately, and great swathes of them died before they even came close. Grunt released a roar and charged forward, blasting at anything that looked like them, going so far as to even stomp on them if they got close enough. Mordin was using a special attacked that ended up with varren being roasted alive. The smell made him hungry.

“Press the button again!” Shepard called, “No point stopping and waiting.”

He retreated, pressing the button, another klaxon, and now klixen appeared. They could prove more dangerous in packs, but with the firepower surrounding him, they didn’t come close either. His powerful shotgun blasted the enemy apart, or left such gaping wounds, they would die quickly from blood loss. Shepard was using his rifle instead of his shotgun, not relying on his biotic talents. Jack and Samara were using biotics, both sending wide shockwaves, sending varren and klixen into the air, leaving them as easy targets for the others.

Grunt had to admit disappointment. _This is the best they can throw at us? This is a Rite of Passage? Pathetic!_ He vocalised those thoughts to which Garrus retorted, “Careful what you wish for, Grunt.”

He returned to press the button a third time. Another klaxon, followed by a message which mentioned one thing only. Survival. The survival of Tuchanka. The survival of his species. But the survival of he and his krantt at that moment. There was then silence as they waited. He could feel the tension in those around them. When the ground started to shake, he admitted to excitement. He knew what it would be. _Yes! This is a true test!_

“Thresher maw!” Shepard shouted, “Get behind cover! Move! Move! Move!”

There wasn’t much as the giant worm appeared right in front of him, towering over by at least twenty metres if not more. He simply roared and charged forward, firing his shotgun into the belly of the great beast. The thresher maw spat in return, flying harmlessly over his head as he heard Shepard shout, “Fire in the hole!” as a missile then flew past him and into the side of it. The beast disappeared from view.

Another shaking of ground and it appeared again. Now everyone roared and charged, most taking cover and opening fire. Grunt cared little about cover. His body would recover, his only need being to fire his shotgun again and again until the worm was dead. The beast spat acid more than once, coming close to his colleagues. It also spat at him, surprising even himself with his agility as he rolled out of the way, firing immediately from a knee.

The beast disappeared again, the ground shaking and he followed it, anticipating where it would rise. Shepard had been doing the same thing. As soon as it appeared, Shepard fired another missile, and it slammed into the middle of the thresher maw. It was now bleeding heavily, and it swayed but did not die. He fired again and again, aiming for its face, but due to its size, the shots were ineffective.

“Aim for its head, Shepard!” Grunt roared.

“Next time it disappears, I’ll set myself to go.”

“Okay.”

The beast disappeared, feeling the ground shake. Shepard stayed still, finger resting off the trigger, waiting for the thresher maw. It stayed underground far long, no doubt hoping to spring a surprise of its own. The others had spread out, some behind cover, some showing bravery by remaining out in the open. He didn’t believe anyone had been injured, but he wasn’t worried about that. The only thing that mattered was victory.

Then all went still for a moment before it appeared behind them. The creature spat as Grunt leapt over Shepard, taking the full brunt of acid against his armour and limbs. It hurt like hell but as he hit the ground, Shepard fired the missile, Grunt managing to look up as the missile flew straight into the face of the giant worm. As it exploded, pieces of its head flew in every direction as the beast swayed and collapsed to the ground. Despite the agony he was in, Grunt rose to his feet and roared in triumph, holding his shotgun aloft.

“Holy shit, Grunt, are you okay?” Miranda asked as everyone gathered around he and Shepard.

“The lady doctor will fix me up okay. I’m krogan. We’re made for this.”

“Might even make yourself attractive to someone,” Garrus joked.

Shepard simply clapped him on the back, suggesting they should leave. It sounded like a good idea. He had completed his rite. He was now a true krogan, and belonged to a clan. Perhaps the strongest on Tuchanka. With his help, he would ensure the success of Urdnot Wrex and his vision for its people. As they were about to depart via the same tunnel they had entered, a shuttle appeared overhead. It was not one of theirs. He glanced at Shepard and the human smiled. He seemed to figure out who it was rather quickly.

He felt his colleagues form a line alongside he and Shepard, the latter folding his arms and watching in amusement. They were not many in number. They were not formidable. And they did not scare him. Uvenk eventually came to a halt, actually meeting his eye. No respect but he had no choice. "You live, tank-born. And you also killed the thresher maw. No-one has managed that in generations. The last one was Urdnot Wrex."

“My krannt gives me strength beyond my genes. Which are damned good,” Grunt stated.

Uvenk stepped forward. “This will cause discussion. I wonder… you say you are pure? No alien meddling in your construction? Just the warlord Okeer?”

“Hang on a second, now you’re willing to talk because he’s done something you couldn’t do yourself?” Shepard asked. Grunt rumbled with laughter, the sarcasm in his tone amusing.

“What Grunt has achieved deserves consideration.” Uvenk looked at him again. “You are powerful. You are a mistake, but your potential could tip the current balance of the clans.”

Grunt snorted in disgust. “You spit on my father’s name! On Shepard’s name! But now you stop ranting because I’m strong?”

“With restrictions. You could not breed, of course. Or serve on an alien ship. But you’d be clan in name.”

Grunt looked at Shepard. “Can you believe this guy? Makes me sound like some sort of trophy?” He looked back at Uvenk, making sure he looked as menacing as possible. “You have a problem, Uvenk. I am pure krogan. You are merely a pretender.”

Shepard disappeared in a biotic cloud, no doubt slamming into a krogan nearby. Grunt lifted his shotgun and fired at Uvenk, his shields taking most of the blast as he attempted to return fire. Grunt roared again and charged forward, slamming his head into Uvenk, the other krogan staggering back from the attack, as Grunt swung his shotgun, slamming it into his head, before looping it in the air, catching and firing at once. This time the shields failed, seeing his armour take the brunt of the attack.

“You are weak, Uvenk. You’re clan is weak. I am strong. My krantt and clan are strong. One day, we will rule Tuchanka, and you will be nothing but a sorry footnote,” he growled as he fired again. This tore away chunks of Uvenk’s armour, the krogan staggering back. He fired again, this time at the weapon itself, the blast causing it to practically disintegrate, and both his hands disappeared as well, Uvenk howling in pain as Grunt pushed him back with his shotgun against a pillar.

Lifting his shotgun, he placed it under the chin of the other krogan. “You are the past, Uvenk. I am the future. Say hello to the rest I send your way.”

He pulled the trigger, watching the head of his fellow krogan disappear in blood and bone, laughing as the body collapsed to the ground. Glancing around, the battle had been short and sharp, no surprise that Wrex was already walking through with the shaman and his men. He walked towards the shaman, taking a knee, like he knew he should.

"You have passed the Rite of Passage, earning the honour of clan and name. Many survive, but it has been many years since a thresher maw was felled. Your names shall now live in glory forever."

"I only wish to serve Clan Urdnot," he stated.

"And serve you shall. Grunt, you are now one of Urdnot. You may now own property. You may now serve with our army. And you may now apply to serve under a battlemaster."

"Shepard is my battlemaster, shaman. I have yet to meet a man worthier of the title."

“So it is done.”

“Does that mean we can take him to Omega and get him laid?” Zaeed asked.

Standing tall, Wrex grabbed him by the shoulder, met his eyes, and with a single nod of the head, he was accepted. “When you are finished with Shepard, you will return here and prove your worth.”

“Thank you, Urdnot Wrex.”

“But first, you have a job to complete. Come, we will return to Urdnot and you may return to your ship. Though I would like for you to stay, friends, I know your time here can only be limited. And, I will admit, your presence gives cause to our enemies.”

“I understand,” Shepard said, “But it’s been bloody good fun while we’ve been here.”

“Only you would find battle against a thresher maw fun, Shepard,” Tali joked.

“I’ve got so much adrenaline pumping right now, I can’t wait to get back to the ship.”

Everyone knew why. Grunt was the last to board the shuttle, saluting his new clan leader, who wished him good luck and fortune in the weeks and months ahead. Shutting the door, he sat back and closed his eyes, now feeling at peace. He was now a krogan.

* * *

I glanced around the shuttle as we made our way back to the _Normandy_. Grunt finally appeared to be relaxing at least, though I was almost tempted to do what Zaeed wanted and head to Omega. _Maybe later. See what happens first._ Otherwise, the mood was vibrant, everyone chatting away, talking about the battle, or what they saw on Tuchanka, or what was going to happen next.

Back on the ship, I waited until everyone was else of the shuttle, telling Grunt to make sure he celebrated that evening. When he asked if we had ryncol, I told him I wasn’t sure but I’d definitely get some in for him next time we stopped. As everyone else disappeared towards the elevator, Miranda made it obvious she was waiting for me. Once we were alone, she turned and walked towards me. I stopped her before she got too close. “Not now.”

“When?”

“I need to talk to Kelly first. And you know why, Miranda.”

“Soon?”

“We’ll see what happens.”

That pleased her, and she gestured I should follow, stepping onto the elevator together. “I’m not expecting romance, Shepard. I like you, and I think you like me. And that’s all we need, don’t we?”

“Sure.”

“Okay… I’ll understand if it’s not, but I’ll be disappointed.”

“Let’s just see what happens.”

She got out at the mess level as I travelled one further. Stepping out, I walked towards Kelly, gently turned her around by the shoulder. She smiled as I leaned forward to kiss her for a moment, before picking her up and carrying her over my shoulder. Travelling up a level, I carried her into my cabin, gently placing her on the floor before my bed before I kissed her hard, practically ripping her shirt off in the process. Her hands were immediately over my arms and back, breaking the kiss to whisper, “My god, Shepard.”

I practically growled, as I gently picked her up and threw her onto the bed, grabbing her trousers and ripping those off as well, earning a shriek of laughter as I helped take off her shoes and socks. She took off her bra as I grabbed her panties with my teeth and dragged those off as well. I then looked down at her, breathing heavily as I undressed myself so I was naked too, before I joined her on the bed.

“My god, I love this side of you, Shepard,” she breathed, our lips crashing together as I slid my cock into her without delay. And then I simply fucked her. She spread her legs and held them back with her hands under her knees as I utterly pounded her. I was dripping sweat within minutes as I looked down into her eyes. She was as turned on as I was.

“Fuck I love you,” I growled. At that moment, I was thinking all manner of thoughts. Like flipping her over and taking her other hole. Or cumming in her so much she was bound to get pregnant, though I knew she took birth control.

I lasted far longer than normal, completely and utterly turned on by her. It’s why I’d told Miranda no, because I didn’t want her from the moment the thresher maw died. I wanted straight back to the ship to do what I was doing now with Kelly.

“Fuck me hard,” she cried quietly, “Harder, Shepard.”

Gods, I loved this woman, now giving her what I thought was everything possible. I grabbed her knees and pushed them back even further. She cried out, stating I was even deeper than ever. I wondered if I was hurting her, slowing down, but she smiled, saying it was okay. So I carried on as before. I wasn’t going to last forever though. “Fuck,” I growled.

“Keep going,” she cried.

“I’m close.”

I kept pumping until the body could hold back no more. She was far too beautiful. Her pussy far too tight, wet and welcoming. I adored her. I leaned down, letting go of her legs to kiss her, feeling her keep her legs wide as I slammed into her a few more times before grunting into her mouth as I finally came. I kept going until my body said no more, gently burying myself as I slowly relaxed, feeling her wrap her legs around her, hands gently caressing my back as I rested my head next to hers on the bed, breathing deeply, suddenly feeling rather tired. I felt her squeeze me in a hug, which did wake me up a little, before I finally lifted my head, receiving one hell of a kiss.

“I didn’t hurt you?” I asked.

The smile was so sweet, it made my heart flutter. “A little bit, but trust me, I was as turned on as you, Shepard. I wanted it nice and hard.” She put a hand to my throat. “Your heartbeat is rapid, Shepard.”

“Battle on Tuchanka. Adrenaline was pumping. I just needed to get back here and do that.”

“I was your first thought?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, now I just feel all kinds of special.”

I had to relax on my back, Kelly immediately rolling onto her side so I could cuddle her as she snuggled into me. “Sorry about your clothes. I was a little excited.”

“That was the turn on, Shepard. Your absolute desire in your eyes at that moment. Sheer focus. Everything about you screamed ‘I want Kelly. I want to fuck her. I want to make her mine. I want to own her.’ I liked that a lot.” She paused before adding, “Oh, and I fucking love you too.”

I couldn’t help the chuckle. “I meant it though.”

“Oh, I know you did. Again, it was all in your eyes.”

I was absolutely spent, and definitely needed a shower, so that’s where we headed. Checking the time, we headed downstairs for a late dinner. No-one else was around, so we took our trays upstairs to the cabin, where we could sit and eat in privacy and enjoy one or two drinks together. Once we finished eating, we simply headed back to bed, where this time Kelly took control, happily riding me to a series of orgasms before we settled down together, Kelly now finding spooning against me enjoyable, particularly the fact when I cuddled her tight to my body.

“What next?” she whispered after a yawn.

“I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out soon enough though.”


	32. Cold Case

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gets pretty fucking dark in places. Some might find it uncomfortable.

Kelly and I were enjoying lunch in the cabin. I’d escorted her up there as I needed to talk to her in privacy about something. She was no doubt already aware, but I needed to be upfront and honest. She’d been honest with me about everything, as I had with her. But I needed to continue that honesty to feel right about everything in my life. Once I finished my food, I turned towards her, took a deep breath, and…

“Miranda,” she said.

“What?”

“Miranda has finally admitted that she likes you. And that she definitely wants to sleep with you.”

“Huh?”

She giggled. “I’m not blind, Shepard. I see how she looks at you. She definitely likes you. I mean, I certainly understand why. And you find her attractive.”

“Yeah, I do.”

“And obviously that now includes sexual attraction, correct?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

She gave me a gentle push. “Not ‘yeah you guess’, yeah there is. So now you’re concerned and feel you need to ask my permission.” She took both my hands. “Shepard, you don’t need it. You sleep with who you want. Did you ask Liara or Ashley when you were on the old Normandy?”

“Well… no, I guess not. But this feels… different.”

“It’s different because you actually admitted that you love me, Shepard. That’s why. If Gianna was here, would you be acting the same?”

“Probably, to be honest.”

“But does she accept you?”

“Yeah, she knows.”

“As do I. So the point remains. Shepard, you really need to stop doubting yourself here. I’ve made it perfectly clear that I don’t expect you to change for me. Hell, I even hope to be invited once or twice when you meet up with some of your other lovers, as I’ve said.” She paused a moment. “Can I ask only one favour?”

“Sure.”

“Can this cabin be ‘our’ place?”

“Of course. I won’t even spend the…”

She put a finger on my lips. “No, you will at least spend the first night with her, Shepard. You’re not just going to fuck, cum and leave. She deserves better than that.” I definitely raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Look, I don’t always see eye to eye with Miranda regarding certain matters. But her attitude has certainly improved recently, and that is largely thanks to you. She’s now… friendly. Certainly more approachable. Talks to me like I’m a human rather than someone she just orders around. Where are we headed now?”

“Zaeed finally twisted my arm into heading to Omega. He’s going to take Grunt out to get laid.”

“Will you be wanting to visit someone too?”

“Ah, I’ll admit, I hadn’t even thought of Tara.”

“Want a threesome with her and me?”

“You’re serious?”

“Of course. You clearly liked the girl, Shepard. I would like to meet her, and I know you’d like to fuck her again. And I’d like to be involved if possible. I like eating pussy.” I kissed her for that one, which made her giggle. “Just being honest, Shepard. I much prefer sucking someone’s cock though. One particular man anyway.”

“Joker, how long until we’re near Omega?”

“_Another two days, Shepard. We’ll arrive quite early, just after breakfast.”_

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

“Well, I’m thinking I’ll escort you downstairs after lunch then… chat with Miranda.”

“I would say good luck, but it’s a sure thing, Shepard. Just let me know if you’ll be away tonight or tomorrow night. I’ll keep myself occupied up here, masturbating as I think about all the things we’ve done.”

“Film it for me.”

“Done.” She kissed me before adding, “And you still haven’t taken my arse yet. I know it’s not really your thing, but I do enjoy it, Shepard. Jack certainly let everyone know you fucked her there.”

“Yeah, but that was… different.”

“I know, but I can assure you, Shepard, I do want it. Not all the time, but I do want to feel that thick cock of yours in my tight little butt.” I couldn’t help chuckle at the tone she used. “Something to think about anyway. Oh, and besides Miranda, if you do ever feel like having some fun with Jack again…”

“I’m going to wear myself out from sex, the way you’re organising my love life.”

“You have a voracious sexual appetite, Shepard, and you know I’m not the jealous type. I certainly understand why other women desire you. I mean, do you check yourself in the mirror every day? You look even better now those scars healed.”

I rubbed my face, happy they were gone as well. “At least I look like me again.”

Escorting Kelly downstairs to the CIC, I gave her butt a gentle slap before walking to my terminal, flicking it on to check for messages. Nothing from the Illusive Man regarding any recruits, and no information about the Collectors. It was all a bit frustrating, really. And just flying around space seemed pointless, so a stop in Omega made some sense, at least. It would also let the crew off the ship again, something I was certain they’d enjoy again.

Letting Kelly know I was heading downstairs, I headed to the kitchen first to pour two mugs of coffee before heading into Miranda’s office. She wasn’t surprised to see me strolling in, her face lighting up as I offered her a steaming mug of black. She immediately took a sip, sitting back and relaxing as I sat across from her. “Glad you stopped by, Shepard.”

“Oh, for what reason?”

“Because I wanted to talk, and I’m sure you’re here to talk as well.”

“Okay, sure. What do you want to talk about?”

“I think you need to know more about me as I know nearly everything about you. Why don’t we sit on the couch, get more comfortable?” That sounded like a fine idea, so we sat side by side, turning to each other, my left arm stretched out on the back of the couch, but I could touch her if I wanted to, or if she wanted me to. She took another sip of coffee, a deep breath, then she said, “I’m a science experiment, Shepard. I’m not sure if I’m even really human on a certain level.”

“What?”

“I was genetically engineered, Shepard. I wasn’t born, that’s why I don’t have a mother. I know you don’t understand scientific babble, so I won’t go into too much detail. But it’s to do with my father’s genome and his quest for perfection. What I learned to my horror is that I wasn’t the first he designed, I was just the first one he _kept_. I guess I was suitable enough for him to achieve what he wanted with me. Everything about me, my looks, my abilities, my physical attributes, were designed before I was conceived in a tube, much like Grunt was in his tank. I didn’t have to work for any of my abilities, but I wouldn’t call them natural either. I was designed this way.”

She sipped again, another deep breath. “My father was a perfectionist. He was and is a cruel man. I never received affection, rarely his approval, yet criticism rained down upon me. He was incredibly strict, constantly demanding. I had few to no friends, social life was non-existent outside school activities. From dawn to late at night, I was expected to study, to work, to improve, to be… perfect, at least in his eyes. Any little failing was leapt upon, accused that I wasn’t trying hard enough, trying my best. I guess the bastard rubbed off on me in the end. The thing is, Shepard, Cerberus saved me. When I ran away, I didn’t know where to go. But my father was wealthy, he was influential, and I had met people he knew. Many were attracted to me, so I used that to my advantage when I left. And that’s how I ended up at Cerberus. Unlike my father, the Illusive Man saw my gifts, and while he would use them to his advantage, I would at least have his support. He had given me everything I wanted and let me do the job my way.” She sipped at her coffee again before she looked at me. “So what do you think of me now?”

“I think you’re wonderful, Miranda.”

She placed the coffee down on the windowsill before leaning forward, her kiss soft as her lips met mine. I placed my coffee next to hers as I leaned forward to pull her closer, her mouth parting to accept my tongue, a slight moan escaping her as a hand railed down her back to grab that fantastic arse of hers. Breaking the kiss, she caressed my cheek and asked, “So none of that scares you off?”

“Why would it? You had a domineering father who you escaped, and found salvation with an organisation who have used your talents perfectly. I might not like them, Miranda, but it’s obvious to me that you’re brilliant.”

That made her eyes well up as she kissed me again, a brief one but by the time she pulled back, there were small tears dripping down her cheeks. “He never said anything like that to me,” she whispered.

“Well, the man was blind then. And I might not like the Illusive Man, but it’s clear he sees what I see in you as well. I’ll give him credit for that.”

Her hand left my cheek to rest on my chest. “Can you stay with me tonight?”

“Yes. Absolutely.”

Her face lit up, as if she finally got what she wanted. She kissed me again, wrapping her arms around me, my hands giving her arse another squeeze, which made her laugh. “Do you like it, Shepard?”

“Fantastic.”

“We’re going to have a lot of fun tonight. I guarantee it.”

I could have stayed here all day, just talking to her, and while we did discuss a few other things related to the mission, we agreed to part ways until later that evening. Still, before I left, she practically wrapped her body around me and gave me one hell of a parting kiss, that left me wanting more. She did that on purpose, of course.

There was a couple of hours until dinner, so I did what I called ‘the rounds’. Dropping in on most of my recruits just to make sure all was okay. Garrus was happy working on the cannons. Samara was meditating with Thane, simply relaxing and finding their peace. Kasumi was reading a book, happy in her own company. Tali was busy down below in engineering, chatting away with Gabby and Ken. Zaeed, Grunt and Jack were all in Zaeed’s room, playing cards, drinking liquor. They offered me a spot but I said I was okay for now.

“Want to stay, Shepard? Maybe I can get all three of you to fuck me.”

“Damn it, girl, I said that ain’t happenin’,” Zaeed muttered, “And I know for a fact you couldn’t handle Grunt.”

“I’ll try if he’s keen.”

Grunt just looked at me, a little confused. “I did not know that human women would breed with krogan men.”

“Well, you won’t get her pregnant, but I know of a couple of women who have had sex with krogan. There’s a niche porn market as well. No, you need either a krogan female if you want little krogan, or an asari if you don’t mind little blue children.”

“Is there any point in sex otherwise?”

Even Zaeed laughed at that, clapping the krogan on the shoulder. “Sex can be for fun, kid. You have a lot to learn. But enough of that. I still want my credits back.”

I left the three of them to it as I headed up to my cabin to carry on working without distractions. I managed to get a few things done before I occupied myself for an hour with one of my ship models, concentrating so much I didn’t hear Kelly walk in until her arms looped around me and she kissed my cheeks. “Now this is just adorable,” she whispered.

I shushed her gently. “Concentrating,” I whispered back.

She kissed my cheek again. “Dinner will be served soon. Will you be coming back up here?” That made me stop immediately, and of course, Kelly knew why as I turned to her. “Okay, I’ll head to the lounge, have a night with some of the girls. I’m sure they’ll figure out why but it’s none of their business anyway.”

“I could always…”

She leaned forward to kiss me, and also shut me up. “I get you tomorrow night before we arrive in Omega. That’s fair.”

Heading downstairs, we joined everyone else for dinner, conversation flowing as the crew discussed what they were going to get up to on Omega. Most were interested in heading to Afterlife, as it was probably the best place to hang out on Omega. There were other bars you could visit, but there was a good chance of being robbed, shot or stabbed. At least in Afterlife, the only thing you’ll get is robbed by the exorbitant drinks prices. But they were keen to arrive, at least.

The lounges were now a popular spot for after dinner gatherings, people slowly but surely filtering out until there was only myself and Kelly, with Miranda sitting nearby. She got up and walked towards her room, glancing back once before disappearing. Kelly kissed my cheek, told me to have fun, before walking away. I watched her leave before I stood up and walked straight into Miranda’s room. I locked the door behind me before I walked forward and came to a stop.

She knew what we both wanted, lying back on her bed in just her underwear, a lacey bra and panty selection that hid very little. She made a gesture that I followed, immediately undressing myself, though I just took everything off. Her eyes immediately went to my crotch and there was an involuntary lick of the lips as she moved forward on her hands and knees before sitting up so I could kiss her. I immediately undid the hook of her bra to take that off, but she broke the kiss and smiled before kissing down my chest, all the way to my groin.

“Glad we gave you the same sized cock, Shepard,” she whispered, running her tongue up my shaft, “I’ll admit, I masturbated more than once, imagining you were fucking me with it.”

I ran my hands through her raven hair as she looked up with those gorgeous blue eyes. “Well, you won’t have to imagine much longer.”

“I know, but I wanted to blow you, at least for a little while.”

“I certainly won’t complain.”

Grabbing its base, she ran her tongue all over it, teasing the head, covering it in her saliva before she slowly started to swallow it. Inch by inch she took until she was satisfied, her head soon bobbing up and down. Gods, she was really good at it too. I just ran my hands through her hair or caressed her face, earning smiles of appreciation that I could see in her eyes. “You are beautiful,” I whispered.

“Bet you say that to all your girls,” she retorted gently.

“Of course, because all the girls I’m with are. I have good taste.”

That made her laugh as she swallowed me again, trying to take my whole length this time. She didn’t quite manage, but what she took was more than enough for me, eventually rocking my hips slightly, and I was certainly getting close. When I let her know, she stopped for a moment, looked up, then continued. So I guess I was going to cum.

“Where?” I asked. When she didn’t reply, but kept on bobbing her head up and down, that was the reply. I moaned and gasped at her talented mouth and tongue until I warned her I was about to cum. She squealed when the first shot fired into her mouth, feeling her swallow more of my cock as I fired over and again, at least six or seven good shots until I relaxed, Miranda slowly moving back before my cock fell free of her mouth. Miranda simply looked up at me and grinned, and there was no doubt she swallowed what I gave her. “Wow,” I whispered.

Gently pushing her back, I immediately grabbed her panties and took those off, exposing her bald and very wet pussy. But I was on a mission to now tease her relentlessly until she was begging for me to make her cum. And that’s what I did, as my tongue and lips covered nearly her entire body, earning plenty of laughter and giggles, and I was obviously being silly as well, but her breasts received copious amounts of attention, as I definitely trailed my fingers along other areas, causing her to shudder slightly, goosebumps rising as she became sensitive to all I was doing.

When I dipped my tongue to finally taste her, my cock sprang to life immediately. Damn, it was good. Wrapping a hand around each thigh, the only thing I wanted now was to make her cum hard, numerous times, until she begged me to stop. She sat back on her elbows watching me, and I looked up and met her eyes as my tongue teased her, sliding inside her, moving around to tickle and tease, avoiding her clit for now. That would be for later. She gasped and moaned at everything I did, not deigning to use my fingers. I would only make her cum with my tongue.

“Shepard,” she breathed. I wasn’t going to stop to talk. I was going to make her cum. I enjoyed it when she moaned and her head rolled back. Eventually she had to lie flat, arching her back as she grew more excited, feeling her want to squeeze her thighs though I was now pushing her legs back, spreading them as wide as possible, completely exposing her pussy for me.

“Oh god,” she cried quietly, no doubt trying to keep the noise to a minimum. I didn’t really care if the others heard. Kelly wouldn’t say anything, but they all knew my reputation by now. The fact I was with Miranda might surprise a few of them, but in the end, it was my business to worry about.

I made Miranda Lawson cum a few minutes later, and she covered her mouth to quiet her cries. I looked up as she looked down, her nod suggesting I should keep going. So I did, doubling down by now just focusing on her now sensitive clit. For some women, that would be too much. For Miranda, that just made her cum again very quickly. I looked up, and she nodded again. I relented on her clit, but even then, she was far too turned on to hold it back for long, and her third took slightly longer than her second, but when it arrived, she uncovered her mouth and cried out loudly. “Oh god, Shepard!”

I’ll admit, I felt like a king at that moment. Again, I looked up. Another nod. “Are you sure?”

“You’re wonderful, Shepard,” she whispered, “One more. Just one more.”

She received one more within five minutes. No attempt to hide her cries then. As I kissed up her body once she’d calmed down, she met my eyes and I noticed her lip tremble, her eyes starting to well up. “What?” I asked quietly.

“I’m over thirty years old, Shepard. No-one has ever done that for me… ever.”

“Well, those men were obviously fools.” I kissed her but Miranda wanted more. Much more. Her hand trailed down my back to my butt, urging me down and forward, my cock easily sliding into her. I stopped once I was partly inside her. “Easy, Miranda. We have all night,” I whispered.

“I just want you,” she replied quietly.

“You’ve got me,” I said, kissing her softly, “You’ve got me now.”

That very first time, we made love, because I knew that was what she needed. She needed to feel loved, adored, cherished, wanted, needed. And I was willing to give that to her. I think the armour, the shell she wrapped herself in also masked a lot of pain and loneliness. She clearly loved her job, but there’s no doubt that’s all there was to her life, particularly as she rebuilt me. For two years, there was only me. No wonder she ended up liking at least the idea of me.

I had to roll over, taking her with me, so I could watch her ride me. Whether her father created her or not, she had a body only the gods themselves could give a woman. Her breasts were perfect. Her body was perfect. Her pussy was perfect. And she definitely loved riding me at the same time, her compliments even making me blush at one stage. I was compared to other lovers and it was safe to say I came out on top in more ways than one.

She came once while riding me before bending forward, asking me to fuck her long enough to make me cum inside her. She got what she wanted, one hand on her arse, the other caressing her face, as I pumped into her long enough to groan, kissing her as I emptied myself deep inside her. When I stilled, she relaxed on top of me, feeling her breasts press into my chest as she rested her head under my chin, my hand trailing up and down the smooth skin of her back.

“Waited over two years for this moment,” she admitted.

“And?”

“Worth the wait.”

We made love and fucked the rest of the night, getting our desires for each other out of our systems. I learned that she particularly loved being fucked while on all fours. We had fun fucking on her couch. She definitely found it amusing when I bent her over her desk and really gave it to her. We enjoyed it when I pressed her against the window so we could watch the stars in the distance.

And when we were done, she expected me to just leave, almost resigned to the fact she’d go to sleep alone. So when I lifted her up and carried her to bed, sliding under the covers with her, that’s when the emotions really took hold of her, so I held her until she calmed down. “Sorry, you must think I’m being a real drama queen.”

“Not at all.”

“It’s why they call me the ‘Ice Queen’, Shepard. I bury down everything. Then you come along, we make an awful start, but then we make an effort, then we were friends, now we’re… this… and I feel I can be me around you now.”

“I like this you.”

“So do I. In private, like this, I can do things like laugh and cry, and not feel foolish.”

“It isn’t foolish, Miranda, but I understand why.”

“You’ll still be here in the morning?”

“We’re walking out of here together for breakfast, Miranda.”

“Oh…”

I lifted her chin with a finger, kissing her softly. “No-one will say a word. Trust me.”

She settled down as I pulled her tight to my body. She fell asleep quickly, murmuring to herself as I lay there awake, contemplating my life. I don’t think I’d made it complicated, but… I knew I’d receive comments from some people. But after that night, it would be worth it. All I knew is that the feelings I’d originally felt for her had long disappeared. I’d grown to like her, now I really liked and adored her. I hadn’t lied. I thought she was a wonderful and gifted human being, and I was lucky to have her by my side on the ship.

The next morning, I felt her run fingers down my face, pressing my cheek, as I opened my eyes. “You’re really here,” she whispered.

“I said I’d still be here in the morning.”

The smile took my breath away as she immediately cuddled into me again. I definitely liked this Miranda. Fun. Showing emotion. Affectionate. Full of the joys of life. Stomachs rumbling, we eventually rose and dressed before we headed out into the mess together. Dead silence as I walked out first, Miranda just behind me. I was still wearing the same clothes from the night before, and it was obvious what we’d been up to. All we did was head to the breakfast bar to get food before we sat down. I sat next to Kelly, but Miranda sat to my other side. Conversation did resume though Garrus just looked at me with a million questions on his face.

“So… Miranda…”

“Yes, Garrus?” I asked.

“You were with Miranda last night?”

“I was.”

He looked away from me. “And you don’t mind?”

“Of course not,” Kelly replied, “Look at her face, Garrus. I haven’t seen a smile like that on her face… ever.”

“You’re serious?”

“Garrus, you don’t remember the old Normandy?” Tali asked, “Shepard had Ashley, Liara, Shiala, Benezia and me. Why is Miranda and Kelly such a surprise?”

“Because it’s different. Because she’s…”

Miranda’s hand stopped halfway to her mouth, but her head noticeably dropped. “Because I’m Cerberus,” she whispered.

Garrus cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable. “Shit, I didn’t mean for it to sound so bad. It’s just… when he woke up, and your…” He sighed. “I’m just going to shut up.”

“Miranda is special, Garrus,” I finally said, “She’s an incredibly intelligent and driven woman, who had shown courage many times in her life, and I’m not the only one who owes her a debt of gratitude for bringing me back. I looked past the badge to see what matters most, Garrus. What’s inside. Her heart, her soul, her mind, her character. Those mean more than a symbol. She might wear it but she isn’t them. Not the Cerberus we know.”

I glanced at Miranda, no surprise she’d stopped eating, needing to dry her cheeks, not embarrassed anymore. I glanced at Kelly, who was doing the same, though the smile on her face suggested she appreciated every word. I raised my mug. “Crew of the Normandy, I would like to make a quick toast. Everyone here knows what happened to me over two years ago now. I believe we should all show our appreciation to Miranda Lawson for what she achieved. If it wasn’t for her efforts, I wouldn’t be here today, nor would any of you. If it wasn’t her for dedication, none of this would have been possible. And I want to say thank you to her, in front of all of you, for all that she has done.”

“Hear, hear!” echoed the mess.

Miranda simply turned to me and kissed me in front of everyone. It was quick but it meant everything to her. “Thank you,” she whispered, before she glanced past me, “And you are one very lucky woman, Kelly Chambers. Keep hold of him, and never let him go.”

* * *

After weeks of searching every datapad Shepard sent her way, she finally had the answer she’d been craving. The place where she had been made, moulded into the person she was now. Since the day she’d managed to escape, she’d been fuelled by a vengeance that she knew would one day lead to the destruction of the place that had once been her home. It had not been a home full of love and joy. It had been one of fear, and pain, but it was also where she had learned how to fight, use her power and had left its mark on body, mind and soul.

She was sitting back on her cot, resting her head against the wall, feeling the thrum of the engines above, when she heard footsteps approached on the metallic floor. “Wanted to see me, Jack?”

She opened her eyes and looked at him. His face was blank, as usual. He showed emotion occasionally, but their relationship was weird, at best. They’d fucked a couple of times. Jack would readily admit he was the best she’d had by far. Knew his way around her body like they’d fucked for years. And his cock. Nothing came close. Sure, he fucked her hard and gave an air of not giving a shit about her, but she knew he wanted her to enjoy it. Plus, she had him figured as just this boy scout figure not wearing Alliance uniform. She’d seen enough to suggest he had a hard edge to him that many may underestimate.

“If I dropped my pants now and got onto the floor, wiggling my arse in your direction, would you fuck me?”

She laughed as he sighed, almost defeated. “I thought I was brought down her for a serious reason, Jack.”

She picked up the datapad and leaned over. As he read it, she said, “I found it, Shepard. The place I was made. It was called Teltin, a Cerberus facility on the planet of Pragia.” He nodded, understanding already why he was there. “I want to go there, Shepard. I want to walk through it one more time. Then I want to blow it up.”

“Are we talking small bomb or something bigger?”

“Suppose a nuke is out of the question?”

“Yes.”

“Then just a bomb big enough to leave it nothing more than a crater.”

“I can get some supplies and I’m sure Mordin has the know how to build one capable enough of doing it.”

“Do this for me, Shepard, and…” She trailed off, as what she would want was easy to figure out. Then he met his eyes. “So you fucked the cheerleader?”

“I did. What of it?”

“Surprised you did, that’s all. Considering who she’s with.”

“I can look past the symbol to see the woman underneath all that.” She scoffed as he added, “I look past all the shit you fling my way, Jack.”

“Shepard, I just want your dick inside me. I don’t give a fuck about anything else.”

He shrugged though asked, “Are you going to visit Omega while we’re here?”

“Might do. I’ll see how I feel.”

“You should head out. Do you some good to get off the ship. I’ll speak to Mordin about building a bomb, then I’ll see how far Pragia is from here. Once that’s all figured out, we’ll leave.”

“Okay. Cool.” Shepard turned and walked away before she called, “Shepard, sure I can’t interest you in a hard fuck?”

“You are relentless at times, Jack.”

“I just know what I want, Shepard.”

“Tell you what, we’ll head to Pragia, sort all this out, see if it helps you find closure. See if you feel the same afterwards.”

“Shepard, do this for me, and I’ll be your fucking sex slave.”

“That won’t be necessary but I appreciate the sentiment.”

She let him disappear, as no doubt he’d want more fun time with Kelly. She watched how the two were around each other and it made her want to vomit at times. She thought Kelly was surprisingly open-minded. And she still couldn’t believe he’d slept with the cheerleader. She’d done some research on Shepard, learned his history, and certainly his list of apparent conquests. The man had run up an impressive number if it was to be believed.

Eventually heading off the ship, she wandered into Afterlife, hoping for a few drinks and watch the dancers. She’s fooled around with women before, certainly more than one asari, but she preferred men. She’d enjoyed being fucked since… well, most people would shudder at the age she’d lost her virginity. Another reason why she was so fucked up.

Zaeed and Grunt were sat together in a booth, so she joined them, as out of everyone on the ship, she got along with them best. They didn’t ask questions and, in some ways, shared similar traits to her own. Zaeed was a nutcase, and desired vengeance of his own. Grunt being krogan was just insane, his thirst for battle exceeding anyone else on the ship. She didn’t get along with many if any of the women. Far too girly. But she knew most of the men found her intimidating. Thane had tried to get to understand her, but she wasn’t interested in listening to all his body and soul crap. At least he did try, though. More than most people.

Pickings were slim that night, though she did enjoy a couple of private dancers from rather cute asari. They allowed hands to wander but anything sexual was off-limits. That ended up being even more frustrating, so she ended up back in her quiet place under engineering. Horny as she was, she eventually found a pair of toys she’d brought, placing both on the ground. Lubing both up, she slid one in her cunt, one in her arse, and rode herself to a series of orgasms. She knew, more than once, she moaned Shepard’s name as she came, and eventually passed out on the floor.

He found her the next day in the same place. All he did was raise his eyebrows at the pair of toys laying near where she’d slept and the fact she was stark naked. “I’ve got two holes, Shepard, so I’ll use them,” she muttered, wrapping them up to wash in the shower later, “What do you want?” She noticed his eyes did sweep over her body, so she purposely laid back on her cot, spreading her legs provocatively.

“We’re departing Omega in around an hour. Mordin and Jacob will construct the bomb. I told Miranda…”

“You fucking what?” she shouted, sitting up and knowingly glaring his way.

He held up a hand. “Calm down. I had to tell her because she’s going to cop flack for doing this. But she knows why so while she did argue, there is little she can really do about it. She has offered one thing though.”

“What?”

“She says she will come down with us when we get there.”

“She doesn’t believe me, does she?”

“I’m not sure it’s that. I think she just needs to see it for herself. She believes Cerberus works for the benefit of humanity. Can she really say what was done to you was for all our benefit or just for the Illusive Man?”

She gave it thought before muttering, “Fine, she can come down.”

“Good. So it’ll be a couple of days until we’re there. I’ll lead the way down there but it’s also your show. It’s your story to tell.”

“Sure.” He turned and walked away and she could only ask, “Seriously?”

He turned back. “What, Jack?”

“Come on, I’m laying here like this, the invitation is obvious, yet you’re going to walk away again?”

“I’m rather tired, Jack. I had a good afternoon and night.”

“Who with?”

“Kelly and Tara.” She didn’t know what to say to that as he walked back towards her. When he crouched down next to her, she suddenly felt embarrassed. “Jack, I think you’re gorgeous.” She couldn’t remember the last time… She didn’t know if anyone told her that before. “But the relationship we share? Not good. Don’t get me wrong, I get very excited when we get physical and then we just fuck, but is it healthy?”

She met his eyes and saw nothing but sincerity. “I like it,” she said quietly.

“I know. Maybe because you’ve been conditioned that way. I guess we’ll find out soon. I have one suggestion for you though. Find someone who appreciates you for you. I know you dismiss emotions like love rather easily, but once you find that person, whether it be man, woman, asari, then you’ll know what a lot of us are talking about when we express those sorts of feelings.”

“And if I just want to fuck and not worry about that shit?”

“Then so be it. But I think under all that ink is a scared young woman, afraid to open herself up, afraid to let anyone close, unable to trust anyone.”

“I trust you,” she blurted out. Then she felt her cheeks grow warm very quickly. When Shepard leaned forward and simply kissed her forehead, she felt a surge of emotion she didn’t feel often at all.

“Well, I’m glad you do, Jack,” he said softly, “But I think what you should do is get dressed and just relax. You don’t need to keep throwing yourself at me for whatever reason you think. Yeah, you’re clearly fucking nuts at times, but I don’t think it’s all your fault. You’ve been through some serious shit in your life. I’m not here to coddle you, but even I can accept I have been harsh at times. But maybe, just maybe, once you blow up Pragia, you might feel capable of moving on.”

She didn’t really know what to say so watched as he simply got up and walked away. Now she just felt… confused. But she did as he said, throwing on a thin shirt and trousers, grabbing her towel and heading up to the bathroom to have a wash. She cleaned her toys and couldn’t help giggle as she’d thought about him nearly the entire time. She… liked him. She’d always thought she’d never like someone again after… Ugh, even after all this time, his death still hurt. The only way she’d even considered letting some close to her, and then he just upped and died.

Her mind was all over the place the next couple of days. She still burned hot for revenge. She had dark thoughts about dealing with some of the Cerberus personnel, particularly the cheerleader, maybe getting medieval on her with a few kitchen implements. But she knew Shepard wouldn’t appreciate that. And she saw how the cheerleader looked at him. Jacob was just a stooge, he was barely a threat. The rest were just idiots, though she intimidated them, so that made her happy.

But she gave what Shepard said some serious thought, for the first time in her life. He seemed to actually give a shit. If it had been anyone else the night before, when she’d just laid there completely exposed, they’d have just fucked her and left. Instead, he treated her like a human being, was kind, even gentle with her. She could see in his eyes that he wanted her. Deny it all he wants, but she knew. But still, he controlled himself, gave her advice, and then left her alone.

Three days later, as Shepard explained they needed an extra day to complete the bomb, the _Normandy_ was in orbit over Pragia, and she was stepping onto the shuttle with Shepard. In addition, there was Miranda, while she had asked Zaeed to join them. She wasn’t blind to the affection he showed her, though it was more of an older brother rather than wanting to sleep with her. Garrus joined them as usual, as though the facility was apparently abandoned, such places were usually taken over by bandits and mercenaries. Finally, Mordin and Jacob joined as they would set up the bomb while the rest would ‘tour’ the facility with her.

She hated the feeling of nerves she felt as the shuttle touched down. Standing up, her legs felt like jelly. Shepard seemed to realise, a comforting hand on her shoulder, which she appreciated though would never vocalise. Opening the shuttle door, the weather was horrendous, driving rain and what looked like lightning in the distance. The weather fit the mood.

Walking down the steel staircase, it was immediately obvious that the facility had been long abandoned, perhaps since the day she had escaped. No-one knew the truth of everything that happened that day, nor the shit she’d been through in the years since.

The first room appeared to be some sort of reception area. Abandoned containers lay around, and she told the others they likely would have contained kids kidnapped from around the galaxy to be sent to Teltin for testing. Moving on as a small group, there was little sound apart from the driving rain, the distant thunder, and her own heartbeat in her ears. Back within the walls, she felt like the frightened little girl who had grown into a young woman full of hate.

Surprisingly, there was still power and some terminals were working. The first working one was full of information and most of it she didn’t believe for an instant. “Bullshit. The Illusive Man would have known about everything that went on here,” she exclaimed.

“We have had trouble with cells going rogue before, Jack. This wouldn’t be the first place,” Miranda countered.

“What the fuck would you know?” she hissed.

“From what I’ve learned in regards to Shepard’s run-in’s with us before, yes, we have black marks against our name. I can admit that and have spoken to the Illusive Man about that. Even he will admit that there are elements within the organisation that veer off the right path.”

She couldn’t help turn and stride towards her, making sure her hands glowed glue. “How far is your head stuck up his arse? He knew about this! Of course he would have known!”

“What benefit would torturing kids bring to Cerberus, Jack?”

“Employ enough sadistic fucks, put them in one place, then watch the action. Maybe he jerked off watching it?”

Shepard chuckled, which caused her to stop and glare at him. “Not laughing at you, Jack. Just the thought of… never mind. Sorry, inappropriate timing.” Still, it had defused her temper long enough that she simply waved a dismissive hand at the cheerleader and moved on.

In the next room, nothing was recognisable, the place having fallen into disrepair during the intervening years. It appeared Teltin had been built in the middle of a forest, and the forest was quickly reclaiming its own. She looked around, hoping to see something she knew, but so far, no luck. “What do you really know about this place?” Miranda asked.

She glared at her again. “You think this is all bullshit?”

“No, I just wonder how much you remember and how much is… maybe… I don’t know, bad dreams?”

"You really want to know?" Miranda nodded. She noticed everyone else was at least listening. "I remember I killed the last guard in this facility that stood between me and freedom. I still remember his voice as he begged for his life before I killed him."

"You sound pleased?"

"Wouldn't you be, having your revenge on the very people who tortured you?"

Before Miranda could think of a reply to her question, there was a cry of ‘Varren!’ and they were suddenly in the middle of a gunfight. There were quite a few of them, but they were of no danger to them, Jack simply using her biotics to fling them around the room, leaving them as easy pickings for Shepard and Zaeed. As they moved on, Shepard quietly warned that it was likely that mercenaries were about. Varren would not be native to a planet such as Pragia.

Wandering outside, she now came to an area that was very familiar. Concrete blocks form an octagon. If one looked hard enough, you could still see the blood stains soaked into the ground. She could close her eyes and remember the carnage that she had caused in the arena. Some would have found it horrific. She just remembered the elation of victory, of surviving another day. The drugs they had pumped her with certainly helped as well. There were other reasons too. She found that with power came sex. It’s something Shepard had learned about her early on, and perhaps something she’d need to explain later.

“So, you fought the others?” Shepard asked.

“Yeah. The guard and doctors would stage fights. Me against someone else. Usually some poor bastard. At first, I wouldn’t do it, of course. They then tried threats, but that didn’t work. So then they tried rewarding me. That definitely worked, and I killed whoever they wanted. Got really good at it too.”

“You sound proud of it,” Miranda stated.

“I survived. They let me get high, sent me into fight, then they’d reward me afterwards.”

“Reward you how?” Shepard asked.

“I’ll probably show you later. But let’s just say some of the warm feelings I still feel today relate.”

Moving down more empty corridors, there were things she recognised but it was becoming apparent that the facility had been picked clean by scavengers. No doubt the destruction caused when she had fled resulted in it being abandoned, and a facility like Teltin would have made rich pickings to some people.

They eventually ran into mercenaries, Blood Pack. She knew them well and the group worked well as a team. The massive krogan was taken care of by Shepard, who used his biotic charge to great effect, slamming into the krogan before unloading blast after blast of his shotgun. She helped out with some warps, before grabbing hold another mercenary, slamming him up into the roof, down into the ground, before flinging his dead body away. She did that to two others before pulling one more close enough that she could take out her pistol and put a bullet into his head.

“Well, I’m wet now,” she joked to herself. Fighting like this always turned her on. One of the things that happened during her time there.

The group moved on, and all was becoming familiar. They walked by a mirror which she figured out was only one-way, remembering being stuck in her room, shouting at kids on the other side, who never heard her. They also passed by more dorms, and even a morgue. They didn’t even ask why that was there. It was obvious she had put many of the other kids there. She still felt no sympathy for them. It was kill or be killed.

Finding another working terminal, this one had information she didn’t really understand, but spoke of her importance, at least.

_"Entry 1054, Teltin facility. The latest iteration of PergNim were poorly. Subjects One, Four and Six died. No biotic change among the survivors. We lowered core temperatures of the surviving subjects, but no biotically beneficial reactions occurred. As a side effect, all subjects died. So we're not going to be trying this on Zero."_

“I won’t say they cared about you, but it seems they didn’t want you to die, at least,” Miranda stated.

“Yeah, how wonderful. Just all the other kids had to die instead. ‘For progress’,” she mocked.

More Blood Pack were waiting. Six krogan would always be a concern, but with Shepard charging, and her shockwave, it was a tough battle but, apart from a deep scratch on her arm, which did require medi-gel, she killed two krogan alone and helped wipe out the others. Once again, Shepard was charging and blasting like a lunatic. She knew he hadn’t been a vanguard before but seemed to relish his new abilities.

Apart from a few vorcha as well, the mercenaries all died where they stood. She had no idea why Blood Pack would be interested in a place like Teltin. She didn’t think krogan would be scavenging for scientific equipment. Leading the group to her old room, she could close her eyes and remember nearly every day there. She’d never truly felt safe in the facility, but when in her own little quarters, she could plan for her eventual escape. They never managed to dig into her mind and figure her out there.

“I want to put the bomb in here,” she told Shepard.

Shepard radioed Jacob and Mordin, who would somehow drag it through the facility to here. While they were doing that, they wandered a little further, and ran into someone even worse off than herself because of Teltin. But the fact he seemed to be waiting for them, for her, was unnerving. She strode forward, placing the barrel of the gun to his chest. "Who the fuck are you?" she asked, restraining herself.

"My name is Aresh and this is my home,” he replied, his voice almost empty of any emotion. He then stared straight into her eyes. Almost into her soul. "And I know all about you, Subject Zero."

“You know this man, Jack?”

"Fuck no, Shepard. I told you. I had no friends in this place." She took a step back, though never took her eyes from Aresh. "How the fuck do you ever know me, arsehole?"

"For so many years, I thought I was the only survivor." She thought he acted more like someone high on drugs. Perhaps he self-medicated if he truly did survive Teltin. "Don't you see? We all knew who you were. They inflicted all those horrors on us so their experiments wouldn't kill you."

"Bullshit!"

"You were the question. They were looking for the answer. I still am. I tried to forget… everything that was done here. A place like this. It doesn't forget. It doesn't let you. It's always in here," he finished, tapping at his head.

“Why the hell are you even here?” Shepard asked.

"I hired those mercenaries. We were going to rebuild this place, piece by piece. And I was going to find the answer. I was going to find the secrets to unlocking the biotic potential in all humans. I was going to restart the Teltin facility."

She strode forward and pistol whipped him, watching his legs collapse as he fell to the ground, the barrel of her pistol pressed into his head. “Restart this place? Are you fucking insane?”

"They must have had their reasons to put us through all that torture!" Aresh cried.

“You think you were tortured? You have absolutely no idea what I had to go through half the time. Forced to kill kids, filled with drugs so I’d find a thrill in it. Then I get so addicted to the drugs, I beg for it before I fight. Then that leads to going through puberty at the same time, and finding…” She paused, pressing the gun into his head. “The simple fact you would even think about returning here without the express intention of blowing it up…” She glanced back at one person only. Surprisingly, he left the choice to her with a simple shrug of the shoulders. He was leaving the responsibility to her.

So she shot him. Point blank in the head. “Fucker,” she muttered.

“Probably put him out of his misery. Out of his fuckin’ mind,” Zaeed stated.

“Shepard?” she asked quietly.

“I’ve done worse, Jack. How do you feel?”

"About him? Nothing. Deserved the bullet for even thinking about that. But I still want to blow this place up. But first, I should show you something and tell you a little more. It will explain why I am the way I am with you at least.” As the rest were going to follow, she added, “Just Shepard. I can tell you all later.”

She led him back into the bedroom, and she pointed up into the corner, where a camera was. “It watched me all the time. There were other hidden cameras in the walls. Constantly monitored, Shepard. I thought it was just to make sure I didn’t do anything stupid like suicide, but I learned more than one of the guards and doctors were voyeurs.”

“It doesn’t particularly surprise me.”

She sat on the bed, Shepard sitting next to her. “I lost my virginity in this room, Shepard. I was old enough to know what was going on, old enough to understand, but it would have been considered illegal anywhere. They thought I just gave in, but I learned that with sex came power. I used it to my advantage. Know how I said I’d get rewards earlier?”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“Well, I’d get rewarded for fighting, and I’d get rewarded for fucking. I used my sexuality to my advantage, Shepard. Oh, I knew it was wrong on their part, but by the time I hit puberty, I could look in a mirror and knew I was cute. And some of the men had… interests, we’ll call them.”

“You don’t have to…”

She grabbed his hand. “I need to, Shepard. I need you to understand all this. It will explain everything.”

“Okay.”

“I did what they wanted without fighting back, just waiting for the right moment. So I fought and killed. And I fucked. My god, did I fuck. I hated it at first, but then, well, your body goes through changes, and when I started to get all funny feelings fighting, I’d actually coax _them_ into the room because I simply wanted to orgasm. Fighting and fucking eventually went hand in hand. I’d fight knowing I’d fuck later, and I’d fuck knowing I’d fight, and I’d be rewarded for it.” She grabbed his hand and gestured him to move. Heading outside, they found a working terminal. “I know they used to record what happened. They sold the videos on the extranet, the parts which are illegal, of course. Found a few videos of myself.”

“Jesus Christ,” Shepard muttered.

She shrugged. “It happened, Shepard. You just… get used to it.” She keyed a few commands and found the data storage. The longer she was there, and the more she gave herself, the kinkier things got. She eventually found an entire list of videos. Shepard whistled. Probably an involuntary reaction, but nearly everything was recorded. She searched through some of them before finding one she remembered in particular. Opening it up, she simply took a step back and the sound turned on. Her language was filthy, of course. But the sex was absolutely pornographic.

“So… um… are you actually enjoying that, Jack? How old are you there?”

“Not considered old enough to consent in most countries back on Earth.”

“And three at once? Is that where your love of certain acts comes in?”

“I do this with them, I’d get treats, I mean proper treats the other kids didn’t get. The guards fucking me there would treat me nicely for doing it for them. They’d protect me from other guards who would be cruel. The occasional doctor would come in and want a turn. If I did what he wanted, he’d make sure I’d feel less pain or none at all. The only condition was that I had to fight. I had to endure the needles. I must do what they say. I must be a good girl.”

“But you were conditioned, Jack. This explains it all.”

“Of course it does. I knew what they were doing was wrong. I might have been kidnapped at a young age, but even girls of my age then shouldn’t be abused in such a manner. But part of me… enjoyed it, because I thought, in some way, I held the power. I knew I was cute and desirable to them. I made them want me, and then they would do what I want. That’s what I thought was happening, anyway. They would never have tried to help me escape. Not a hope in hell of that. But I’d at least get treated better for it. But even that wasn’t enough in the end.”

“Did this happen often? Three of them with you?”

“This was the first time. It happened a few times afterwards. I had… regulars. I spent a lot of time fighting. A lot of time doing nothing. Or I’d be doing this. Getting fucked. Know how I really like anal? They’d give me drugs, get me high, then fuck my arse. That word again. Conditioned.”

“How old, Jack?”

She shook her head. He didn’t need to know that. “When it happened the very first time, the first guard to come into my room, I was young enough that each and every single one, from that first guard to the last, would have seen a jail cell for a very long time, Shepard.”

He switched it off and shuddered. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, “I’m sorry for being so hard on you. I’m sorry for… god, I treated you like they did.”

That pissed her off. He was nothing like them. And the very thought nearly made her cry. She turned to him, vision blurring for a moment as she poked his chest. “You are nothing like them. Nothing! I wanted to fight you, Shepard, then I wanted to fuck. Like I’ve always done. You weren’t to know that.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve only told you about what happened on Pragia, Shepard. That’s only the beginning of it all. But I’ll explain on the ship. Let’s set off the bomb and get the fuck out of here.”

They walked back together to see Mordin putting the finishing touches to the bomb. She glanced at Shepard and could see he was uncomfortable. In fact, it was the first time she’d seen him upset rather than angry. She was left thinking maybe he cared more than she realised. Once Mordin said the bomb was ready, he handed her the detonator and they beat feet back to the shuttle. Shepard was last on as always as the shuttle quickly ascended. She flipped the lid of the detonator back and forth, looking at Shepard. He simply nodded.

She pressed the button without hesitation. Within seconds, the shuttle was rocked by a sonic boom. The bomb must have been enormous. She flipped the detonator towards Mordin and sat back with grin on her face. Mission accomplished for now.

Back on the _Normandy_, she headed straight to her cubby hole, sitting down and feeling elated in many ways, but discussing with Shepard everything that happened caused a mix of emotions. She’d always known what happened to her was wrong, but the fact she’d even grown to like it just a tiny bit disgusted her. It’s why she felt such loathing and hatred for herself, let alone anyone in the galaxy. She’d grown so used to life there, how it all worked, that she’d never been able to change. She knew things like that took therapy, probably years of it, and she simply didn’t have the time or patience, nor credits, for that.

After dinner, she was relaxing back on her cot when Shepard appeared later that night. She checked the time on her omni-tool and she had to ask, slightly joking, “Shouldn’t you be with Kelly right now?”

“I’m not really in the mood,” he said quietly.

She swung around so her legs dangled off the side, patting the cot so he could sit next to her. “Why are you down here then?”

“Because I need to know the rest. Because once I do, then maybe I can help. It’s what I do. Help people.”

“You can’t help me, Shepard. I’m a lost cause. Give up now.”

He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, softly kissing the top of her head. “I don’t believe that,” he whispered. She wrapped an arm around him and… cuddled into him. She felt… safe with him. She had even when they’d been fighting and fucking. Lifting her head, he turned and kiss her forehead too. A gesture that made her eyes well up. She’d never experienced such affection from anyone.

She took a deep breath and settled into his body. “I escaped on a shuttle. I’d killed nearly everyone inside. Doctors. Guard. Kids. Anyone who got in my way. I didn’t care if I died doing it. But I made it to the shuttle and thought I’d finally be free. I was still a kid though. I had no idea what the galaxy was like. I was picked up by pirates a couple of days later.

Oh, they liked me, Shepard. I was tossed from one crew member to the next. Everyone had their turn. But I was so conditioned by Teltin, I accepted it, tried to make the best of it, tried to enjoy it. I thought I’d be able to influence them like the guards, but it didn’t work that time. They had their fun with me then sold me off as a slave.

Batarians bought me, of course. But they had no idea of my power. Didn’t try and fuck me. I think they wanted to study me. Big mistake. Escaped again, and decided to go pirate myself. Joined one ship for a few months, fought and fucked around the Terminus Systems. Made plenty of credits, and lost them all. The ship was attacked and I ended up in a gang operating out of Omega. It’s why I kept my head down while we were there, just in case I was recognised.

But I was still searching for something, a purpose I guess, questioning why everything happened to me. Was there some purpose to why I’m a biotic freak? Eventually heard of a cult, shaved my head, which I liked so I kept it, but they were a bunch of whackjobs, and their leader wanted a harem of lovers. Said fuck that, killed him, and left. Eventually landed with another gang pulling major jobs. Even crash-laded a ship into a hanar moon. Man, did that piss them off. Think they still want me for vandalism. Ran with them for a little while before I made a mistake during a heist and got caught.

That’s how I ended up in Purgatory.”

“Why the icebox though? Most others were just in cells.”

“I’m sure you noticed I was one of very few females there. I’m not the biggest. What, I’m five-two, one hundred pounds soaking wet? To most men in a prison, I’m a target. In a place like Purgatory, I’m a prize. So it ended up like Teltin, but this time fighting off guards _and_ prisoners. I got raped. Tried to fight them off, but when a man is a foot taller and a hundred pound heavier, even biotics won’t help every time. It was only after the last time, when a bunch of them had a go and nearly killed me, that I was locked up in the icebox, though that was only because I went looking for revenge. I killed them all, Shepard. The Warden found me in a room, full of bodies and blood. I may have been leaning back against the wall, pants around my ankles… that word again. Conditioned.”

He didn’t say anything for a while. She looked up and noticed he just stared straight ahead, jaw firm, almost grinding his teeth. Eventually, he just turned and lifted her up easily, sitting her on his lap and just… held her to his chest, feeling his strong hands gently rest on her back, fingers gently pressed into her. She rested her head against his chest and relaxed. “You are far stronger than I gave you credit for,” he said quietly.

“I do what I have to in order to survive.”

“Once we’re done here, I’ll help, however I can.” She felt a finger under her chin, lifting her face to meet his eyes. “And I expect nothing, Jack. I don’t want you throwing yourself at me. I don’t need…” He sighed, no doubt trying to find the right words. It was strange to see as he was normally eloquent. “Even after all that, Jack, I don’t understand what’s going on your head. I simply can’t. I don’t think anyone can. You’re clearly angry at the galaxy. Understandable. You have a lot of hate in your heart. Understandable again. I’m sure psychiatrists would diagnose you with a number of different disorders. No fucking wonder after what you’ve been through. But the marvel is that you’re still here, Jack. Still fighting to survive. Some would call that the miracle of it all. You haven’t given up. You haven’t let life beat you down. You’re still standing tall, ready to face the next challenge.”

She kissed him, but it was a genuine kiss, full of what those words meant to her. It was brief, but by the time she pulled back, she could barely see him her vision was so blurred. All he did was hold her tight to his chest as she settled back down, resting her head against him, wrapping her arms around his body, his arms tightening around her. Before she knew it, she felt herself being lifted up in his arm, gently placed down back in her cot, covered in her blankets. Shepard looked down at her and had never seen someone look at her with such care and affection. Crouching down next to her, he leaned forward to kiss her forehead again.

“No more,” he said quietly, “No more until we deal with it all. Okay? Because I simply can’t do it now. All I want to do now is cuddle you away from the world.”

She couldn’t help smile at the sentiment. “What if I need it?” she asked quietly.

“You won’t because we’ll work through it. Do you trust Chakwas?”

“She’s not Cerberus?” He shook his head. “Then yes, I’ll trust her because you do.”

“I’ll speak to her, see if she can recommend people to help. I’m out of my depth with all this, Jack. But I want to help you.” His hand softly touched her face. “It was never your fault, Jack. And you never wanted it. Any of it. Everything, _everything_, that happened is their fault. Never blame yourself again, for any of this. It is _their_ fault.” He paused and she heard the shudder in his breath. “I will be having words right now with someone in particular. I will be letting him know what I really think of them and their organisation. Then I’ll be having words with Miranda. But you, Jack, will never have to be afraid again. Not while I’m still around.”

She reached up to take his hand, giving it a squeeze. “Thank you,” she whispered, not trusting her voice.

“Get some sleep, Jack. And from now on, I’ll take you on missions, otherwise, you do whatever you need to do to keep yourself at peace. Okay?” She nodded. “I should have shot him myself.”

“He deserved it, Shepard. He would have restarted what they did.”

“Are you sure?”

“I don’t regret it.”

He nodded, continuing to stroke her cheek. No-one had ever touched her so gently before. He leaned forward, and she lifted her face to kiss him, not just wanting a kiss on her forehead. She caught the sob as she broke away, his hands still on her cheek, before he made sure she was safe and warm under the covers, before he stood up, looking down at her. It made her feel tiny in that moment, but she now saw him differently. He would be her bodyguard, her protector. One lone man against the galaxy. If he was near, she would be safe from the forces the galaxy would throw at her.

She knew, deep down, he was a good man. A just man. An honourable man.

A man she could see herself falling in love with. That thought only came to her after he’d walked away, hearing his footsteps click on the metallic stairs. The thought of love startled her. She’d never been in love before, but maybe, just maybe, he would be worth it to enjoy those feelings for the first time.


	33. Vengeance

I’d been in a foul mood ever since my conversations with Jack. The night we’d sat down in her cubby hole and she’d told me everything, and that was after spilling her guts about what happened on Pragia, I got straight onto the Illusive Man and I tore him a secondary arsehole. I’m not sure how long I ranted and raved before I switched off the link before I had to listen to him say a word in reply.

Then I stood there in the dark and cried for her. Because no-one in the galaxy deserved what she’d been put through. I just felt overwhelming guilt about our entire relationship. But I meant what I said. She would have me at her side from now on and I would do anything to help.

My next stop was Miranda. I unloaded on her as well. I didn’t accuse her of anything. I just really let her know what I thought about Cerberus. I told her of every single thing we’d found during my time on the old _Normandy_, every world I’d visited, every horrific experiment, and I damn well made sure she didn’t write each one off as a rogue cell. She mollified me by promising she would do her own research, that she believed me, and that she even believed Jack, but… if she believed everything, she would also question everything. I didn’t think that was a bad thing, to be honest.

Through it all, Kelly was an absolute diamond. She could see I was lurching from one emotion to the next. I tried to maintain my usual air of calm in front of the crew and my squad, but when I was alone with her, I went through every emotion possible. We didn’t enjoy anything physical for at least three nights, but I held her as close as possible for each of them, needing to feel her love and comfort as I thought about everything Jack told me over and again.

The boxing bags downstairs got beaten mercilessly, picturing random faces as I worked up a sweat, hitting away until my muscles simply cried enough and I almost collapsed to the floor in agony. Jacob seemed to realise what was going on and stayed away. I certainly didn’t blame him at all, but I could see why he did.

Somehow, Jack seemed to come out of it… better. As if getting it all off her chest lifted a weight off her shoulders. Maybe that’s what she had needed, to unburden herself, to stop carrying the weight, and now she might be able to start the process of healing. I’d talked with Chakwas, who only learned the basics, and within a couple of days, Jack headed into the med-bay to speak with her. I’m not sure what they talked about, but she was in there for a couple of hours to begin with. Walking back out, she wandered over and sat next to me, letting me know that she’d been given plenty of recommendations, and that she would start talking to people immediately who could help. Chakwas had also prescribed one or two things which might help her as well. “Not addictive, are they?”

“No, nothing like that. I think they’ll just take the edge off, not turn me into a drooling zombie. Plus, I need to remain fighting fit as I still want to kill bad guys. But now I do it because I want to, and because you order me to, not for… other reasons.”

“You told Chakwas?”

She nodded. “I figured telling her that was important. She explained how and why I’d feel that way. So it’s reconditioning my mind, that sex should be something appreciated, that should happen naturally, not bargained for or… you know…” She paused before looking at me. “But what if…”

“I’m not sure if I’d feel entirely comfortable. I still have flashes of what I saw, Jack. I know you went through it, but what I saw was bad enough. God, what _we_ did…”

She grabbed my chin between her thumb and fingers. “Shut up,” she said quietly, “I don’t regret that at all, Shepard. That’s probably one of the few times I’ve ever desired sex with someone, not had it coerced or forced upon me. I practically forced _you_, not the other way around. I know why you feel guilt. Even I can understand that.” She let me go and I moved my jaw about, making her laugh. “Anyway, it was one meeting. I haven’t even begun to unload on the poor bastards who will have to listen to it all then figured out how to help.”

“As long as it does in the end, Jack. That’s what matters.”

While I focused on Jack, I did carry on making sure everyone else was content on the ship at the same time. I knew Garrus was still looking into who betrayed him on Omega. Samara was still hunting the fugitive she had been chasing on Illium. Thane was at peace, merely waiting for our journey through the Omega Four. Kasumi was investigating the job she wanted to do, and would let me know as soon as possible. Zaeed was suggesting he might come to me soon regarding the job he wanted doing. Grunt was happy, in fact very happy, after his visit to Omega, going into detail about the three asari he paid for and enjoyed nearly two nights with. Mordin rarely slept but spent most of his time in the lab. Miranda was busy as usual, and after my little explosion, things went straight back to how they were before. She desired intimacy again but realised I wasn’t in the right frame of mood, again, not because of her directly.

It was a good week before I was intimate again. I was already feeling better about things once I knew Jack was okay, but it took Kelly to make the first move. She slept with me every night, and I think she simply appreciated the affection I still gave her. The night it finally happened, we ate dinner in the mess with the others, conversation flowing as usual, watching as friendships formed between the different groups of people. As we were all a team, everyone was doing their best to gain an understanding of the other. It was good to see, and I guess in that regard, I did lead by example.

Kelly waited until we were nearly alone before she grabbed me by the hand and led me to the elevator. I wasn’t expecting anything when we arrived upstairs. A kiss and a hug was nothing out the ordinary. Taking off my shirt wasn’t either. When she started to undo my jeans, I knew something was probably up, figuratively speaking for the moment. I helped by kicking off my shoes as she lowered my jeans and underwear, giving me a moment to take off my socks so I stood before her naked.

“That’s better,” she whispered, hands immediately running down my chest.

“I take it you have plans.”

“I do. I want you to do something for me.”

“Sure. What’s on your mind?”

She disappeared to my desk and returned holding a pair of cuffs. I couldn’t help chuckle before asking, “Seriously?”

“I want you to sit on the couch while I get ready but put these on. I’ll make sure you’re comfortable.”

The idea actually excited me a little, as I knew she’d have some ideas, so I turned around and felt her put each loop around my wrist before they clicked shut. She then asked me to sit on the couch, watching me get comfortable before she moved the coffee table out of the way, sliding towards the foot of the bed. I had no idea what she had planned as she giggled, bounding away towards the bathroom, where she disappeared for a few minutes, before returning in a red pair of bra and panties, covered by a see through negligee in the same colour. She came close and leaned down to kiss me before turning around, noticing the thin trip of material disappeared between her cheeks. She then keyed her omni-tool and music started to play. I was treated to a very erotic dance over the next few minutes, where Kelly Chambers showed grace, beauty, flexibility and a desire to perform for me. I watched, utterly mesmerised by her movements. It was a mix of striptease, ballet and dancing. She danced through around three songs, leaving the music playing as she came towards me, moving my legs apart as she kneeled between them.

I could lean forward at least to kiss her before she gently pushed me back, her lips quickly finding places on my chest, moving downwards over my abs before she even kissed my thighs. I was now rock hard, and she kept teasing me, hot breath of my cock and she’d give me the lightest lick before kissing somewhere else.

“Do you love me?” she asked quietly.

“God yes.”

She swallowed nearly my entire length at once before lifting her head up, her tongue circling the head of my cock before she simply licked it up and down a few times. I could only groan at every little thing she was doing. “I love you too, Shepard,” she whispered, “I hope you cum for me quickly.”

“I don’t mind. Fast or slow. I just love you doing this.”

Slowly, she swallowed my length again, and this time I could only roll my head back as she started to focus on blowing me to completion. Since I’d gone a week without doing anything, I knew I was going to cum hard and fast, but Kelly seemed to realise that, so never established a pace that was going to make me explode quickly. But I couldn’t watch her too much otherwise I would.

“Kelly,” I breathed, “So talented…”

That made her look up and I met her eyes, emerald green sparkling with desire. Despite the fact she was blowing me, I really wanted to kiss her, or touch her. That was frustrating, but also a lot of fun too. When her head started to bob faster, I groaned as I could feel the impending tsunami about to flood her mouth. “Oh god,” I groaned, starting to buck my hips. She upped the tempo even more, and I gave her one final warning. No more than thirty seconds after that, I exploded into her mouth, groaning loudly as I felt her slurp and suck down everything, almost eager to swallow every single drop.

I relaxed, with probably a stupid grin on my face, my head resting back as Kelly continued to slowly bob her head up and down, feeling her tongue along my shaft and the head of my cock before she finally let it fall back onto my stomach, her lips kissing their way back up over my abs and then chest before she lifted herself up to straddle my lap. “Anyone would think you enjoyed that, Shepard,” she whispered into my ear.

“Uh-huh,” I replied, feeling rather incapable of speech at that moment.

She giggled as I felt her kiss my cheek, running a hand around the back of my neck as I looked at her. “Are you comfortable?”

“Absolutely.”

Getting off my lap, she hooked her thumbs into her panties and dropped those to the floor, exposing her pussy but left the other two items on, before she sat on my lap again, feeling her wet pussy slide against my still rather stiff cock. It wouldn’t take too long for me to get hard again. “I can’t wait to feel this inside me again, Shepard. It’s been a while. Longest we’ve gone without sex since our first time together.”

“I was going to do something soon but…”

“I understand, Shepard. I’ve spoken to her as well. But let’s not discuss that. Right now, it’s me and you. And I’m in control.”

“No complaints from me, gorgeous.”

She leaned forward to kiss me as she lifted herself up, grabbing the base of my cock, feeling the head pop inside her as she ever so slowly lowered herself down, moaning into my mouth as she stopped, lifting herself up slightly, then lowered herself down a little more, doing that a few times until my entire length was inside her. She gasped as she broke the kiss. “Fuck that’s good,” she moaned.

“You’re telling me,” I retorted with a chuckle.

“Should have just done this straight away. Would have made you cum in a couple of minutes.”

“Oh, I would have guaranteed that after your dancing. You were beautiful.”

That compliment made her face absolutely light up with delight. “You really liked it?”

“Kelly, you’re beautiful as it is. That was something else entirely. Captivating is what it was.”

The kiss I received for that was something else as well, and as she kissed me, she started to rock herself on my cock, not lifting herself too high. In this position, I knew for sure I’d be touching the right places inside her. Wrapping her arms around the back of my neck, she watched my eyes as she rode me. I just watched her face and the emotions expressed. I really wanted to touch her, whether it to be stroke her cheek, or run my hand through her hair, or stroke her back. Only that bit was frustrating, but it made me appreciate it when I could do it.

When her hands moved to my shoulder, her fingers started to dig in as she rode me a little faster, her breathing growing ragged, and that’s when she started to moan. “Loving my cock, aren’t you?”

“I always love it, Shepard,” she breathed, “But I really needed it tonight.”

I leaned forward to kiss her. “Are you going to keep riding after you’ve cum?”

“I’m not stopping until I’m completely worn out, or you cum so much you can’t get it up.”

“Oh, a challenge then. Will I be cuffed the entire time?”

She reached into her bra to retrieve a little key, reaching behind to undo them. “I want your hands on me, Shepard,” she said. As soon as my hands were free, one immediately went to her face, running through her before I dragged her forward to kiss her, my other hand running down her back towards her arse. When I gave it a good squeeze, she whimpered into my mouth, her bounces on my cock now even faster. She had to break the kiss to breath and I knew she was getting close, so I kissed down her neck, knowing she found that exciting as her moved her hands to my back, digging her fingers in.

“Oh god,” she moaned softly, “Shepard…”

I didn’t say anything, just waiting for her orgasm to arrive. She was now riding me with abandon, desperate for her climax to arrive. When I felt the walls constrict, squeezing my cock, I made sure I held her stable as she seemed to shudder from toes to the top of her head, refusing to stop as she cried out, fingers really digging into my back, perhaps scratching me. “I love you,” she cried out, but through it all, she did not stop for a second. I was worn out for her.

I sat back, taking her with me slightly. By now, her brow was damp, with red hair stuck to it. Her cheeks were bright red. Her breathing was ragged from the exertion. She’d never looked more beautiful. And still, she kept on riding me.

“Let’s move,” she said. Picking her up was easy, arms and legs wrapped around me as I carried her to bed. Placing her down, she surprised me by turning around onto all fours, before she then lay flat on the bed, spreading her legs and looking back. She wasn’t offering her back door, just something a little different. Getting behind her, I slid inside her again as I leaned forward, resting my head next to hers, grabbing her hands and holding them on the bed. “Now you’re in charge,” she whispered.

I started slow, taking my time with each thrust into her. She loved each one, moaning as I buried my cock. But she knew what we both wanted, and slowly but surely, I picked up the tempo. She lifted her arse into the air a little bit, changing the angle, and I was soon pumping into her harder, the sound of our skin slapping together echoing around the cabin. I was now holding her hands tight, my fingers locking her, and I was busy kissing and nibbling at her neck, making her giggle.

“Kelly,” I whispered into her ear

“Close?” she asked.

“God yes.”

She lifted her arse a little higher still, releasing a loud moan when I started to go even faster. I was only moments away from finishing. She didn’t say a word, enjoying every second, turning her head to kiss me, and it was during one of those that I buried myself and finished again, groaning into her mouth, something that made her stop to giggle slightly, as she lowered her body flat to the bed, taking me with her at the same time. I then rested on top of her, just doing enough so I didn’t squash her.

“Well, that was different. I loved that,” she said.

“I thought you were offering… you know…”

“You know I will if you want, Shepard.”

I pulled out and sat back on my knees as she looked back and really spread her legs. That word again. Provocative. I leaned down to kiss one of her little feet, making her giggle, as I kissed up her calf and the back of her knee, then up the back of her upper legs to her butt cheek, giving that a gentle bite before kissing around her lower back. She was sensitive, and gasped at some of my touches, before I lowered my mouth and ran my tongue over her puckered little hole. That made her gasp, so I did it again. “Shepard,” she breathed.

She lifted her arse a little, definitely wanting some attention. I knew she kept lube, so I leaned over to the bedside table and found it in the top drawer. Keeping it aside for later, I gently rubbed her first with a little lube before lowering my tongue again. She loved it immediately, looking back with interest as her arsehole got attention for the very first time. “I washed earlier, Shepard,” she whispered. Raising my eyebrows, she admitted, “I thought doing it this way might get your attention.”

“Really wanted it?”

“For you, Shepard. I want you to have all of me.”

“Okay.”

Pouring some lube onto my fingers, I knew what to do as I’d done this before. First one finger, slowly and gently, letting her get used to it. Then a second when she was ready, starting to just stretch her out a little. With my left hand, I also fondled her pussy, enjoying her body gentle writhe at the attention I was giving her. Once I slid three fingers into her arse, she was definitely enjoying. “Just your fingers are wonderful,” she whispered.

Lubing myself up, I asked, “Are you sure?”

“I want this, Shepard. I want you to have me like this.”

Making sure my cock was nice and slick, I positioned myself and prodded her. She was ready for me, showing no hesitation as I prodded a few times, letting her get used to the idea. Then I ever so gently started to push. When the head of my cock finally popped in, she gasped loudly and I stopped, letting her get used to it. Once she nodded, I slid a little more in each time, pulling back, then pushing forward, taking my time. The noises she made suggested she was enjoying it immensely, so that was a good thing.

It took a while, and it was incredibly exciting, but I managed to slide my entire length into her. Then I rested my forearms to either side of her as she was happy to remain lying flat. “I’m in your arse, Kelly Chambers,” I said quietly.

“My god, Shepard, it’s feel fantastic. Just take it slow for now.”

“I won’t go too hard, Kelly. I don’t want to hurt you.”

That made her smile as I rested my head next to hers as I gently started to fuck her arse. Running hands under her underarms, I held my hands out so she could hold onto them, feeling her squeeze them every so often when I thrust a little harder. I had to stop every so often, just a little more lube, before I got back in the same position. I asked if she wanted to change, and she said no, she felt this way of submitting to me while getting what she desired. An equal trade, she called it. I understood what she meant, but I was happy to do what she wanted regardless.

“Will you cum like this?” I did wonder.

“I’m not sure.”

“Why don’t you turn around so you can at least play with yourself?”

She loved that idea, so I pulled out and she flipped onto her back. I knew enough to grab something to play under the small of her back, and she spread her legs wide as I lined up. I was gentle again though her body had now adapted for now, so while I gently thrust into her, Kelly started to fondle herself at the same time. “Oh shit,” she moaned.

“What?”

“I’m going to cum really hard, Shepard. I can already feel it coming.”

“Well, I’m not close so it’s up to you.”

“Go a little harder.”

I did as she asked. She grunted more than once but she was clearly focused on making herself orgasm. I just watched her face, and I think she may have even got a little shy, as she was busy having her arse fucked and rubbing herself at the same time. When her lips parted and her head started to roll back, I knew she was getting close. That’s when I leaned down to kiss her neck, just adding a little more pleasure. And within thirty seconds, it set her off. She released probably the loudest moan of the night so far, feeling her legs shake as she rested them on the bed, her free arm immediately wrapping around me as her other furiously rubbed her clit. I could barely thrust now as her arse was clenching my cock nice and tight, and I knew trying to continue would hurt her. “Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck,” she cried. She didn’t seem to want to stop rubbing herself, continuing to spasm underneath me before she finally stopped, forcing her fingers into my mouth so I could taste her. “Fuck me, Shepard, that was a good one.”

Then she settled back into the bed, looking knackered, so I pulled out and gently rested next to her. She didn’t ask if I wanted to continue. I’d had my fun and I didn’t feel another orgasm approaching, so she turned onto her side and cuddled into me. “I love a man who focuses on my orgasm.”

“Your orgasm face is beautiful.” That made her look up and smile. “Though your current face is just as nice.”

“This is my post-coital, I’ve just had some mind-blowing sex face.” She kissed me. “Thank you, Shepard, for doing that for me.”

“We can do it again, Kelly. I don’t mind. I’m just not one of those guys that goes searching for it. I’ll put it simply. I love pussy.”

“I’d love to do it again though.”

We lay together until we’d calmed down before heading for a shower. We were both exhausted by now, so all we did was wash each other down, dry each other off, before heading back to bed, where we cuddled into each other, and that was when we could discuss certain topics. We must have chatted for a good couple of hours, just expressing opinions and thoughts, before she cuddled into me and relaxed a final time, drifting off to sleep as I wished her goodnight.

Everything was back to normal at last.

* * *

Kasumi Goto had waited a long time for this day. It had been months since she’d lost him, and now she would gain her revenge. Thieves didn’t normally think of vengeance, but Donovan Hock had taken what was most precious to her. And there was only one man capable of helping her for the job, because she knew he’d go through hell to help her.

The _Normandy_ was in orbit of Bekenstein, though the ship itself would not be entering the atmosphere. Shepard would be entering a party hosted by the somewhat infamous Donovan Hock under an assumed identity, and with any luck, would find the whereabouts of something she had considered lost since the day she’d been forced to leave Keiji behind. His graybox. It was the only thing left that contained his memories of their time together.

Waiting by the small shuttle she had secured for transportation down to the planet, she paced back at forth, wondering if the plan would go off without a hitch, or if she shouldn’t have organised for more people to join. Too late now, it would only be Shepard and herself.

The man himself appeared a few minutes later and even she had to think ‘Wow’ as he strolled towards her. He had the usual stubble on his face. His blue eyes looked amused. He kept his hair short, not clipped, but long enough for a woman to run her hand through it. Considering his lovers, she knew exactly why he did it. And the suit she’d chosen suited him perfectly. He was tall, fit, and devilishly handsome. Women were going to swoon as soon as he walked in the door, and every man would want to be his friend.

“Are you ready, Solomon Gunn?”

“And I take it you are my pretty assistant, a Japanese woman with a penchant for kleptomania?”

“The invitation is for you plus one, so here’s hoping.”

“Are you going in hooded?”

“He doesn’t know my face, so no.” And, with that, she took off her jacket and hood, showing the dress she was wearing underneath, a little black number that showed off her shallow curves. She certainly appreciated the gaze Shepard returned. She was a diminutive woman, not standing much over five-three or five-four, and certainly didn’t weigh much. The dress certainly showed off enough skin to attract attention, and she had cleavage as her breasts were larger than he probably expected, but she also carried weapons and other things she would need for thievery underneath. She was sure Shepard would be packing as well.

“Do you approve, Mr. Gunn?”

“Oh, he certainly does, Miss Goto. He certainly does.”

He opened the shuttle door for her, and it was there that he saw the golden statue of Saren Arterius inside. “The fuck is this?” he asked as she sat down, preparing for departure.

“A gift for Mr. Hock. But don’t worry, the base of the statue will contain weapons and armour for us to use.”

“Oh, fantastic. Guess Saren will come in handy for once then.”

He took a seat next to her, strapped himself in, and let her take the controls. As she piloted the shuttle, communicating with the _Normandy_ one last time before cutting transmission, she felt his eyes glance at her more than once. She almost laughed as he was trying his best not to be too obvious. “I’m glad you approve, Shepard.”

“I’ve never seen you without a hood, Kasumi. You are stunning.”

The comment made her blush, feeling her cheeks warm up. Shepard laughed, as they obviously started to get a little red. She’d grown her hair out, at least, so could still cover some of her features if necessary. She usually kept her hair shorter as it was easier to manage. “Well, thank you, Shepard. But I can’t afford to be distracted and nor can you. Game faces once we’re on the ground.”

“But I can check you out now?”

“Shepard, I know about your reputation.”

“And?”

“Well, I’m not sure if I want to be another notch on your bed post. Plus, there is also the memory of Keiji. It’s… difficult. It’s hard to even think of moving on. It’s been a few months now but… I keep thinking it would be a betrayal.”

Shepard looked away out the window. “I know what you mean. Everything was different when I came back,” he said quietly.

“It’s still nice to know I’ve got it though,” she added.

“You certainly do.” He reached over and grabbed her hand. “I’m sorry that you lost him. He was obviously very special to you.”

“It’s why I’m doing this, Shepard. The most important thing is his graybox. If we can get in and out easily, then that will be fine. But part of me wants Hock to pay for what he did too.”

“Well, I’ll have my weapons if you want to go down that route. You just let me know what you want and I’ll work to either end.”

As they flew above a city, she pointed the shuttle in the direction of the Hock estate. It was a vast area on the outskirts of the nearby settlement. She knew all about Hock and had given a dossier to Shepard for him to study. Weapons dealer. Weapons smuggler. Extortion. Racketeering. She could at least be a little relieved he kept nose clean in regards to other crimes, but what he did was bad enough. His weapons ended up in the hands of the type of people you would rather not be armed. He had money, power, and influence.

She didn’t want to make the mission personal. She missed Keiji every day, but the fact Hock had his graybox was what really mattered. It wasn’t just the memories. He had worked for the Alliance as an agent, and he had discovered a damning secret. She could only be thankful that the graybox was heavily encrypted, though was sure Hock had his best people trying to crack it.

Focusing her mind on the here and now, she brought the shuttle into land. “Don’t cover your shoulders,” Shepard stated.

“Why?”

“Because I don’t know the man, but I am one myself. Showing up how you look now? It’ll distract him just enough to help us. We are simple creatures, Miss Goto.” He paused before asking, “He doesn’t know your name, does he?”

“No. He wouldn’t even recognise me now. We should be good.”

She stepped out of the shuttle with Shepard, watching him throw on his jacket, and gaze around, ever the soldier, no doubt assessing the number of guards, their weapons, armour, and seeing the estate as an enormous battlefield. Heading towards the mansion, a pair of guards walked to the shuttle to retrieve the statue as their eyes looked upon the mansion itself. It was remarkably tasteful for someone who made his millions in the trade of illicit weapons.

Climbing the stairs, the front doors leading inside were already open. Donovan Hock strode towards them. She tried not to tense, feeling Shepard’s arm wrap around her waist as they came to a stop.

"I don't believe we've met. Donovan Hock."

He offered his hand, Shepard accepting it immediately, playing his part. “Solomon Gunn. Pleasure to meet you, Mr Hock. Heard a lot about you in return.”

"And I you, Mr Gunn. You've been busy from what I have read on the extranet. If you believe everything you read on it, of course."

“There’s always an element of truth and fiction to any stories written about people like us, Mr Hock.”

“And this is?” he asked, and Shepard was right, his eyes immediately looking her up and down. He didn’t leer, but she felt creeped out immediately.

“This is Miss Goto, my personal assistant.”

Hock smirked. “Holding someone like that, Mr Gunn, I would believe she would be more than that.”

“You might be right, Mr Hock, but that is her official title at least.”

After a bit of an issue with the statute, which to her relief was allowed to head inside, Hock invited them both inside and wished them a pleasant evening. He’d met her eyes and there hadn’t been a flicker of recognition, so she felt confident they could complete the job. Servants carried around trays of drinks and food, so they grabbed a flute of champagne each and wandered into the crowds, staying together to start off with.

“Can you cloak?” he asked, voice little more than a whisper.

“Of course.”

“Then I think I’ll mingle with the crowd and you get to work trying to locate what we’re here for. You need anything from me, just let me know.”

“What are you going to do otherwise?”

“Enjoy my role as mercenary extraordinaire and devilishly handsome man of action.”

“Dear god, I’ve created a monster. Okay, keep in contact the normal way. If I run into any trouble, I’ll certainly let you know.”

As Shepard disappeared into the crowd, his sights clearly set on a very attractive, busty redhead looking over a painting, she got to work of locating the vault then trying to crack it. Once she was alone and unobserved, she cloaked and headed down a flight of stairs, towards where the guards had taken the statue of Saren. As she tried to figure out the security system, she could hear Shepard in her ear, flirting with the woman he’d been headed towards. She could hear her giggles in her earpiece and couldn’t help laugh lightly to herself. “Shepard, no sleeping with the other guests.”

She didn’t hear a response from him. No doubt he heard it, but he was staying in character, regaling her with an obvious fake story which, even to her ears, was completely unrealistic but very amusing. No wonder she was laughing, though there was also the occasional compliment as well.

“Okay, Shepard. This is what we’re up again. Top of the line protection. It's going to take some work. We've got a password voice lock. DNA scanner. Kinetic barrier to top it off. Would be damn near impenetrable… for most other thieves.”

_“Prognosis?”_

"You'll need a voice sample from Hock, so you'll have to chat with him. I'm sure you'll be able to get him talking. We'll need to find the password as well. I've scoped out security room, so that will be our best bet for that. As for DNA, that'll be child's play. You'll just have to break into his private quarters.”

_“Anything else?”_

“There’s a kinetic barrier we’ll need to disable. Cutting the power will do the trick. Probably the easiest thing to do out of all of them.”

_“Okay. I’ll get cracking. I’ll go talk to Hock first.”_

The voice of his female companion disappeared, Shepard stopping to chat with other guests, introducing himself like he was an old friend, before he finally started talking to Hock. The first thing she learned is that Shepard knew everything about guns, and Hock was genuinely interested in hearing his opinions. The two must have talked for at least twenty minutes about the new weapons being released, modifications, prices, the different sorts, even delving into politics and its effect on being a mercenary around the galaxy. Figuring Shepard was quite happy to keep talking, she eventually told him that she had more than enough of his voice for a sample.

As he was talking, she got to work locating the password. The security room was manned by a lone guard. Cloaking herself, she slipped in, disabled the guard with ease, easily breaking into their system to retrieve the code, and slipping out all in the time Shepard had been talking to Hock. She next focused on disrupting the power. She had an application on her omni-tool to help with that, and as Shepard was still talking, she managed to sort that out as well. All she needed now was a sample of Hock’s DNA.

Hearing Shepard move away from Hock, she eventually met him near the door to his private quarters. Managing to get inside was surprisingly easy, and they both had a good look around at the art collection he kept for himself. There were things on just his bedroom wall that would have been considered priceless. Finding something with his DNA was easy, but before they could escape, they heard voices in the living room.

“Shit, if we’re caught…”

Shepard thought quickly, and the first thing he did was turn her towards him and kiss her. She almost cried out but went with it for a moment, pulling back to see his lipstick on his lips. Figuring exactly what he was trying to do, he took the shirt from being tucked inside his trousers, undid a couple of buttons, and took off his jacket. She messed up her hair and took off her panties and shoes, feeling very short compared to him now, both of them wandering out of his room to be met by three armed guards.

“You shouldn’t be back here,” one of them stated.

“We just wanted a little privacy. Know what I mean?” Shepard replied, immediately wrapping an arm around her waist.

“And I’d just got these off too!” she added, holding up her black panties.

The three guards immediately grinned but gestured to the door with their weapons. “Look, you two want to fuck, be our guests, but use one of the guest rooms.”

“Of course. My apologies. Just thought there’d be more privacy here,” Shepard stated, immediately walking towards the door they had entered. “If Mr Hock does ask, just tell him I was hoping for a little private time with my personal assistant.”

“I think it’s best Mr Hock doesn’t hear about it, sir. Just return to the party and no-one need be disturbed otherwise.”

She led Shepard back out towards the large open area where the guests still mingled. She put on her shoes but could do nothing with her panties, Shepard taking them and putting them in his pocket. She felt a little weird walking around with him going commando, but now they had what they wanted, she suggested they head back to where the statue had been place. Pushing the button for the secret compartment, she could see Shepard’s eyes light up at the armour and weapons on display.

Without even thinking, she stripped off her dress and immediately blushed as she realised that she now stood next to him stark naked. She hadn’t worn a bra, simply because her dress had been tight enough to keep everything in place, and her panties were now in his pocket. She finally chanced a glance towards him, watching him undo the buttons on his shirt. When he took off his shirt, she definitely made an approving sound.

“We both get naked, Kasumi, I’m going to think things. Want your panties back?” he asked, definitely taking a moment to appreciate her in return.

“Part of me wants to be naughty and suggest you keep them, but I do need underwear.”

He handed them back as she started to dress, her familiar clothing as usual, making sure cloaking device was clipped to her side, taking a pistol and sub-machine gun. Shepard dressed in his armour and tooled up completely. Shield pack. Shotgun. Pistol. Assault rifle. Heavy weapon. Even grenades. How he managed to walk around carrying all that, she didn’t know, but considering he was rather tall, and very board, just the size of his arms alone…

The elevator for the vault arrived. She knocked out the camera before pushing the button to head down. She took a series of deep breaths to calm herself, feeling unusually tense. But they were now in, and what she wanted was closer than it had been since the day she’d lost Keiji. Shepard kept himself busy by rolling his muscles, getting himself nice and loose. She figured he assumed the worst, and was getting ready to fight.

What they learned quickly is that Donovan Hock was a keen collector of art and artefacts. Michelangelo’s David, whether real or a replica, was inside his vault. So was the head of the Statue of Liberty. A copy of the Mona Lisa. Shepard even pointed out what he called the Magna Carta was inside. None of it matters, not really. All she wanted was the graybox and then to get out quickly.

She found it eventually after at least a few minutes searching. She quickly scanned in, Shepard jogging over, asking if she’d found it. “Have to be sure, Shep. We know Hock has already tried to crack it."

She was in the middle of ensuring it was still encrypted when a voice boomed, “Don’t bother, Miss Goto. It’s code-locked.” Shepard had his shotgun out and aimed far quicker than she imagined possible. She grabbed the graybox before standing to his side, an enormous hologram of Hock on a nearby wall. “I didn’t know your name but I had a feeling it was you. I might not have seen your face, but I knew you were the one with him. Only you would have been so foolish to return.”

"You should know that I don't like to disappoint," she replied.

He then did that typical ‘bad guy’ thing of going into a monologue of what he wanted and why. She turned out while Shepard was clearly looking around for a distraction. He seemed to find something he liked, his shotgun levelling at a nearby Ming vase. No doubt it was absolutely priceless.

So of course Shepard took delight in shooting it. “God, do you people ever not just get around to the business of trying to kill us? Why do you always have to explain your plans?”

"You've just made a serious mistake, Mr. Gunn."

He made the sound like a buzzer. “Wrong answer, Hock. My name is… drumroll, Miss Goto.”

“Is this really the time?” she asked, though couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped her.

“Spoilsport. Anyway, the name isn’t Gunn. It’s Shepard. Formerly Commander…”

The eyes narrowed. “Well, I had heard rumours of your return but would never have believed you would be stupid enough to steal from me.”

“Though you would have recognised me?”

“You’ve never interested me before, Shepard. Now you do. Miss Goto, you will not be leaving with what is mine. Rest assured your bodies won’t be treated with respect once you’re dead.”

The hologram flicked out and guards flooded in. Shepard disappeared immediately and she heard a shotgun blast on the other side of the room. Taking out her SMG, she joined the party, cloaking and de-cloaking to leave the enemy completely confused. She’d cloak, get as close to a guard as possible, de-cloak to their surprise, burst into fire into the chest or head, then cloak and move again. She would occasionally de-cloak, only to be fired upon immediately, which was the perfect time to show off her flexibility and gymnastic skills. They couldn’t hit what moved like her.

Once they’d cleared the room of his guards, they joined together and thought of a new plan. Heading back up was a no-no. The elevator would likely be locked down anyway. She had gone over extensive plans of his mansion and knew of a landing pad to the east of the building. If they could head there, they could either steal a ship or call in an evac by the _Normandy_. Shepard agreed immediately and led the way.

Hock had plenty of guards to throw his way, even large mechs that caused concern for both of them. Shepard showed how nuts he was at times, Kasumi taking cover as it opened fire, Shepard simply charging, nearly knocking the enormous machine over before he fired blast after blast, aiming for its weak points, before he moved away, waiting for the mech to explode.

More mechs flooded forward towards them, along with a few guards. The pair worked together, though Shepard clearly led from the front, charging left and right. She spent most of her time simply watching his back, each small burst of SMG fire fining its target. He kept them so occupied, she was barely shot at herself.

The pair reached a dead end. Searching for a way through, there was a garage door but no mechanism to open it. Not even a terminal she could possibly hack into. Shepard the suggested they use a nearby armoured vehicle. She was thinking along the lines of climbing in and driving away. That’s not what he was planning as he got into the turret seat, aimed, and fired, blasting an enormous hole in the wall, killing a trio of mercenaries who happened to be waiting on the other side.

_"What the hell are you people doing down there?"_ Hock screamed over the comm system.

“Well, I think blowing up his mansion might be a little extreme. I am thinking about it though,” Shepard muttered.

The pair moved on, Shepard now switching to his rifle, now covering and firing alongside her.

"_Kill Solomon Gunn! Bring the girl to me!"_

“When will they ever learn, Miss Goto?”

“We do seem to end up fighting a lower class of criminal, Shepard.”

Mowing down a couple of mercenaries here and there, she felt confident they were reaching the exit, though could only hope there was something waiting for them to escape, otherwise life was going to get difficult. She had the plans in her omni-tool, but from memory, there were not many exit points from the landing pad. Circling around the mansion was out, no doubt the shuttle she’d piloted full of holes and in flames by now to prevent their escape.

Another enormous mech definitely grabbed their attention. This time, there was no messing around from Shepard, taking the heavy weapon from his back, aiming and firing, the mech exploding into tiny flaming fragments. Watching him place the weapon on his back, he looked at her and it was obvious he was now getting pissed off.

_"Don't fight me, Kasumi. You know what happened to your boy toy when he fought back."_

He reached across to grab her shoulder. “He dies, Kasumi,” he growled.

She popped a new heat sink into her SMG and nodded, not feeling confident in her voice at that moment. There were very few guards remaining, the pair killing four more before they burst through a set of doors out onto the landing pad. And it was as she feared. No shuttles waiting. No anything they could use. Shepard immediately walked out into the middle of the landing pad. “I could call in a shuttle?”

“Hock will have defences, Shepard. No chance it’ll get here without behind fired upon.”

“I could just call in the Normandy.”

“I’m sure that’ll just spark some sort of diplomatic incident.” She opened her omni-tool. “Just give me a sec, I’ll check our options. Going back the way we came is out. Maybe there’s a trail or something…”

Before she’d really had a chance to investigate, something flew over their heads. She heard Shepard shout ‘Gunship!’ before she felt herself picked up too easily and carried behind cover. He set her down gently, his eyes immediately peering over cover. “Thanks,” she said, taking out her SMG, “You carried me far too easily then.”

“No problem. Now, gunship. Ideas?”

“I’m not sure, you?”

Shepard stood up and simply fired a burst into the gunship. He crouched down as it returned fire. She could hear its engines as it moved from side to side. They were well protected from all sides for the moment. “You’re good at tech, right? It’s well shielded. All I need you to do is disable them. Once you do that, heavy weapon time, and I blow the fucker out of the sky.”

“I’ll need him closer for it to work.”

“Okay, I can play chicken. Give me a minute.”

He stored his rifle, took a couple of deep breaths, before standing up and walking a couple of paces. She watched him actually wave and called Hock to come closer. The idiot should have just fired at Shepard and be done with it, but he couldn’t just do that. He needed to boast about what he was about to do. While he was pre-occupied, Kasumi got to work. Finding an access to his gunship was easy. She didn’t do the shields right away. First, she disabled his guns. Then she fiddled with his engines. Then she disabled his shields. She didn’t have to tell Shepard anything as she stood up net to him, giving him a wave as she saw him move, trying to open fire.

Then she keyed a final command, watching as the canopy of the cockpit flew open. Together, she and Shepard took out their weapons and opened fire, riddling his body with bullets. Thankfully, the slumped forward onto the controls, causing the gunship to veer away and over the side of the landing pad, hearing it crash far below them.

She stood next to him, barely believing it was all over, the only sounds being her controlled breathing, noticing him place the weapon on his back. Next thing she knew, he had his arms wrapped around her, just bringing her a little comfort. “Better?” he asked quietly.

“No. It won’t bring him back, but at least it’s over.”

Still holding her with one arm, he called the _Normandy_, asking for a shuttle to be brought to their location. If those who worked for Hock knew he was dead, she assumed many would now simply go on the run, their pay-master dead. Shepard suggested they go back and take a few things, but she didn’t need anything else. She had what she’d come for.

The shuttle arrived ten minutes later and together they stepped on board. He sat down and she sat next to him. She’d felt safe the entire time near him and, with what she was about to do, she might need his comfort yet again.

“You want to do it now?” he asked, sounding slightly surprised.

“I’ve waited long enough, Shepard.”

Sliding the graybox into a slot, she opened the holographic interface that came with it. The shuttle disappeared and she soon found herself in virtual reality, and in front of her stood Keiji. It wasn’t really him. It was only a recording. But seeing him, hearing his voice again, was almost too much. Shepard heard her sniffle immediately, wrapping an arm around her. She could still feel that.

“Kasumi. If you’re seeing this, it’s because I’m dead. The information we found is all here. It’s big, Kasumi. If the Council ever got wind of this, the Alliance could be implicated. Kasumi, I encrypted the information to keep it safe. And I uploaded the encryption key to your graybox, so no one could get the whole package. But if I’m dead, and if anyone know about this… then I’ve made you a target, my love. I’m so, so sorry.”

“Keiji,” she whispered, seeing other memories of their time together. Brief snippets. Moments they’d stolen together.

“I know you, Kasumi. You’ll want to keep these memories forever. But you don’t need some neural implant to know I’ll always be with you. Please, Kasumi. Destroy these files. There’s nothing more I can do to protect you. Goodbye, Kasumi, I love you.”

He faded away as she removed the interface from around her eyes. Drying her eyes behind the hood, Shepard simply tightened his arm around her, not saying a word otherwise. He would have heard everything but not seen it. Not seen him. “That man had a lot of love in his heart, it seems.”

“He did.”

“Memories?”

“Everything.”

“Is there any way we can just destroy the information, not the memories?”

“No, he is… was a master at encrypting files. He laced the information into his memories. You can’t get one without experiencing the other.” She sighed with bitterness. She knew he was right, of course. If the information got out, it could get ugly for humanity in general.

“What will you do?”

“I don’t want to, but I’ll do what he wants. His last wish, it seems. He’s not just protecting me by asking this, he’s protecting everyone. But by doing that, he also… breaks my heart a final time. It’s like watching him die all over again.”

“I’ve heard you speak about him before, Kasumi. You won’t forget him. Some people have one great love in their lives. Some have more. Cherish the time you had together, and never forget it. But by doing this, perhaps it is also his way of saying that you should also move on.”

“Sometimes easier said than done.”

“I know. I’ve been there myself.”

“Annie?” He nodded. She knew he had gone through exactly the same thing. In many ways, he still hadn’t moved on. He may have expressed love for one or two women since, but he still wasn’t willing to settle with just one, not willing to make that commitment again, likely fearful of losing her just as quickly again. “Guess we’re both unlucky in love, Shepard.” She couldn’t help sigh as she opened the commands for the graybox. Passing through the sub-menus, she found the one needed. She held out her hand, Shepard immediately grabbing it, holding it tight, before she pushed the button required. A few seconds later, the graybox was empty. Everything was gone.

Arriving back on the _Normandy_, Shepard immediately called out to Joker that they should leave the system they were in, heading in the direction of Omega for now, though not to actually land there should they arrive anytime soon. He escorted her to her lounge, sitting her down on one of the couches that looked out upon the stars as he walked to the bar. He returned a couple of minutes later with a pair of glasses, handing her something that she immediately took a gulp of. It was strong, very strong, and she couldn’t help cough, hearing him chuckle beside her. “Easy. Drinking and grief are not a good combination, but I can understand…”

“Let’s invite some people, Shepard. Add some life.”

She leaned into his side as he called out to EDI to announce a ship wide broadcast for everyone to head the port observation deck for drinks. Everyone came, even people like Miranda. All of them were aware the two of them had been down for a mission, though none of them knew much more than that. Shepard hadn’t told them, nor had she. She didn’t think she’d ever share everything with anyone except him now.

He provided comfort all night, gently rubbing her back or her side, as she simply curled her legs underneath her body, snuggling into his side. She didn’t say all that much, people like Garrus definitely providing plenty of amusement with some of the stories he shared. Shepard made them laugh as he told them of some of the people he met at Hock’s party, with a little teasing from Kelly about the redheaded bombshell that had taken his attention.

It was good night. Everyone had a story to share. Many of them made her laugh. After a few hours, only Shepard and Kelly remained with her, though Kelly whispered something into his ear, kissed his cheek, and she disappeared. Once they were alone, she asked, “What did she say?”

“She thought I should stay with you tonight.”

“Oh…”

“Not like that.”

“But…”

“Well, she seems to think you find me comforting.”

“I do. You’ve been nothing but… hmm… I’m not sure how to put it. Understanding? Kind? Um… Thoughtful?”

“Grief works in funny ways, Kasumi. The night we lost Kaidan, Ashley came into my room. I was going to send her away, as I didn’t think it was the right time, but we ended up making love for the first time. People react to grief differently. She needed to feel alive by being intimate with someone. How do I deal with grief? I generally get steaming drunk then pass out, because then I don’t think or dream.”

“So after Annie?”

“Bender of epic proportions. I’m fairly sure my liver still hates me for it. So you’ve been grieving since that day, and now you will deal with that final piece of grief. So you deal with it how you want, Kasumi.”

She didn’t want to be alone that night, that much she knew, so she asked him to stay. She didn’t want intimacy or sex, she certainly wasn’t ready for that, but just being around him was enough. Keiji was gone, and he could no longer protect her. Shepard… Shepard was someone who would protect her from now on. He was a good man, cared for his friends, and would go through hell for those alongside him, ensuring they survived.

So that’s how she ended up in bed with Shepard that night. She wore underwear and a thin shirt to cover herself. He just wore underwear, and she couldn’t help but marvel at his body again. If you looked in a dictionary for a word such as ‘adonis’, there’d be a picture of him. She cuddled into his side as he felt one of his strong arms wrap around her. Resting against his body, she admitted that he already made her feel safe. That made him smile, a kiss on the top of her forehead as much intimate contact they needed.

It was the best night’s sleep she’d had in months, waking up surprisingly late to find him still there next to her, though he’d likely been awake for a while. Maybe he’d been watching her sleep. “Good morning,” he whispered, “Sleep well?”

“Best in months, Shepard. You’re very warm.”

“I get that compliment often.”

Running a hand up and down his chest, even when relaxed, she could feel the muscles everywhere. Moving to his arm, there was a strength and power she rarely felt in anyone, yet they were also arms that clearly provided much more. He simply watched her, a slight grin on his face, before she finally met his eyes. Then she leaned up and kissed him. She couldn’t help herself. Despite everything, she was still attracted.

“Well, one would soon get ideas with a kiss like that, Miss Goto,” he whispered.

“That was quite the kiss you gave me yesterday, Shepard. I just wanted to try again.”

“And?”

“Well, let’s just say I’ve enjoyed it both times.”

“Don’t rush things, Kasumi. Heal your heart first, then when you feel ready, and you really want this, and more importantly, you can accept my life how it is, then by all means, I’m not going to say no.”

“You won’t?”

“God no.” He said it with such passion, she couldn’t help kissing him again, eventually moving so she was straddling his body, her shirt quickly disappearing as she felt his hands on her bare skin. She could also feel his erection through their underwear. All that did was make her remember how long it had been since she’d been intimate with anyone. But she could sense his hesitation for anything more than a kiss. “Kasumi…”

“I know. But it’s nice to feel wanted. Nice to be like this with someone who obviously likes me in return.”

She rested her head of his chest, his arms wrapping around her once again, feeling fingers trail up and down her spine. She could hear his heartbeat, and could tell he was at least a little bit excited by her. Okay, from what she could feel pressing against her, he was more than a little excited. But she felt safe and comfortable with him, and couldn’t help lay there with a smile as she gazed upon the twinkling stars in space.

Maybe moving on wouldn’t be so hard to do after all.


	34. Fire and Flames

Zaeed felt surprisingly relaxed on the shuttle, resting his head back against the side of the shuttle with his eyes closed, feeling every little move it made. Low conversation was taking place around him. He opened his right eye a fraction, Shepard standing as always, holding onto one of the bars attached to the roof, his eyes on one of the vidscreens, watching their progress.

“How the fuck are you so calm?” Jack asked from the other side.

“No point being a nervous fuckin’ wreck. I’ve been doin’ this shit for decades now. ‘Bout fuckin’ time I took the fight back to ‘em though.”

“So is this purely personal or is this actually a contract?” Garrus wondered.

“Little of both, I guess. Guy in charge, fella named Vido Santiago, me and ‘im started the Blue Suns.” He paused, letting that sink in. “That’s right, Garrus, my boy, you’ve been killin’ plenty of my old colleagues. No offence taken, though. The Suns are a long way from the organisation I was once with.”

“What happened?” Jack asked. He was surprised she even gave a shit. He’d noticed a change in attitude recently, she seemed calmer. But actually seemed to give a shit about anything still turned heads.

“We ran all sorts of shit. Gun running. Arson. Blackmail and extortion. But we also did some legit shit, like guard duty, security. Two faces to us, basically. Illegal shit made us creds, legal shit gave us legitimacy. Then Vido says one day he wants to get started tradin’ slaves. I said right away, fuck that, fuck no. We ain’t no fuckin’ slavers. And definitely not for no fuckin’ batarians. We had a bit of a disagreement.”

“And how did that end?”

“Fucker shot me. Point blank in the face. Shoulda died, in all honesty. Guess someone upstairs likes me. That was my time at the Suns over. Been working independently ever since. Mercenary work. Bounty hunter. Even a somewhat private investigator. But I’ve been itchin’ for a chance to get back at that slimy cunt. Perfect chance now. Soon as I got the contract for this, and knew it involved him, that was it. I was comin’, with or without you lot.”

Conversation ceased as he leaned back again, simply waiting for the shuttle to land. Then he’d worry about everything else. He’d been around long enough to appreciate the moments of peace and quiet. In a few moments, things were going to get very loud, chaotic, and bloody. The shuttle touched terra firma a few minutes later, Shepard opening the door and leading them out. It was stifling hot and humid, feeling sweat spread across his body within seconds. Wearing a helmet in weather like this always sucked, but better than receiving a hole in the head.

He surveyed the landing zone with Shepard as the others gathered around. Jack, Garrus, Grunt, Miranda. He figured a strong choice. He and Grunt had firepower. Miranda and Jack with biotics. Garrus with his sniper. And Shepard simply leading the way, even more of a lunatic than himself with his new abilities. He’d watch him train occasionally with Miranda, and it seemed his biotics increased his strength each time. He couldn’t help be impressed.

Shepard gave the order to move out, and squad took their positions, Shepard on point, Garrus watching their six, Grunt and himself watching their flanks, Miranda and Jack in the middle, ready to warp the shit out of anything that moved. Within minutes, he knew it was far too quiet. Someone would surely have clocked a shuttle landing near the refinery. The _Normandy_? Not so much, as it would have been flying silent, but a shuttle isn’t silent. They can be tracked.

The refinery was in the distance. For now, it was dense jungle, just adding to the oppressive humidity. Trees towered above them, blocking out natural light, leaving them in shadows. He could hear insects buzzing around them. Other sounds echoed around them, though nothing suggested that the enemy was close. Or perhaps other deadly creatures, though what also inhabited Zorya, he had no idea. Didn’t care either. All that mattered was Vigo and revenge.

What he didn’t expect was to find bodies dumped in the middle of the jungle. He stopped with Shepard as they crouched down to inspect them. They’d been there long enough to decompose slightly. The clothing didn’t suggest who they were but he could guess they’d once worked at the refinery. The wounds suggested they’d been shot in the back of the head. Likely executed. Shepard noticed as well.

Approaching the refinery itself, they finally noticed the first mercenaries in the distance. Part of him simply wanted to charge and fire, but he wasn’t the dumb, hot-blooded rookie of yesteryear. Sure, he was still hot-blooded, but that was tempered by decades of experience and the eagerness not to die on some hellhole like Zorya. He planned to die by a beach as an old man, hopefully with a cold drink in his hand and a young woman with her mouth around his cock. He didn’t think a peaceful retirement was too much to ask in the grand scheme of things.

As soon as they were close enough, Shepard gave the signal and he charged ahead, disappearing in a flash. As soon as he collided with the first mercenary, hell came to Zorya. Over the sound of his own rifle, he heard the thump of biotics from the two women, while Grunt roared as he thundered ahead, almost flinging mercenaries out of his way. There was the occasional crack of a sniper rifle at the same time, Garrus communicating over the comm each time he took out a target.

The sound of gunfire echoed around them, and soon there were loudspeakers announcing their arrival. He recognised the voice. He knew Zaeed had come for him, though probably didn’t figure he’d brought Shepard and some other friends as well. Zaeed had been forced to retreat alone. Vigo thought he was facing a motley crew of rejects, little knowing he’d brought people harder than himself, harder than those he’d once fought alongside.

The refinery was enormous. Blue Suns were running security, but he had no doubt they were running the whole place while siphoning credits off for themselves. Just enough to make it profitable, not enough for the owners to be concerned. As they moved, Miranda was also working to patch into their communications. Once she finally got them linked, they could hear the flow of orders, which simply made their lives easier.

He noticed the number of batarians who now wore blue. The main reason why they’d fallen out. Some had gone so far as to call him racist. He didn’t give a shit. Batarians were cunts. Any people that still had slavery as part of their culture deserved to be a pariah. He may have been a mercenary, but at least he still had principles. He’d turned down jobs because of what people wanted him to do. He was a mercenary. Men and women? Fair game. Kids? No. Slaves? Definitely not.

Heading deeper into the facility, cutting down swathes of Blue Suns as they moved, he couldn’t help but chuckle at the workrate Shepard put in. The man was absolutely insane, charging and firing, charging and firing. His shields failed more than once. His armour was scuffed. He was likely bleeding. But he was grinning the entire time. He couldn’t help but glance at Miranda.

“He’s fuckin’ insane, and that’s on you.”

“We made him better. You can’t deny how effective he is.”

He could only grunt in agreement. The only person matching his kill count was Grunt, his shotgun nearly blasting people apart if they were too close to him. It was obvious a small army was stationed at the refinery. They numbered only six, but having Shepard and Grunt by his side was like having ten warriors. Add Jack and Miranda with their biotics, Garrus with his accuracy… Yeah, he had the better army.

Before they entered the building proper, there was a locked door ahead, Miranda moving to a nearby terminal to being hacking it. As she was busy doing that, they kept watch, and only then did he see him for the first time in decades. Before he could raise a weapon, he felt the aim of further weapons at them. Shepard started to laugh. A strange time, but then again, Shepard had probably been in worse positions.

“Shepard?”

“Keep going, Miranda.”

His eyes were only for Vido. He wanted to aim his weapon, but figured if he did that, they shoot immediately. Video looked down at him with undisguised disdain. The smirk on the face he wanted to remove with a knife. "So, Zaeed. Managed to track me down? Only taken you twenty years."

“Go fuck yourself, Vido.”

Vido laughed. "That's all you have to say after twenty years." Vido then looked over the squad. "And who are all your friends?"

“Garrus, want to tell him what you were up to on Omega?” Shepard suggested.

“Killed a lot of you blue uniformed fucks there,” Garrus muttered. He was behind them in cover, his weapon aimed but he wasn’t going to fire. Not without a signal.

“Archangel?” Vido growled.

"And I could quite easily put a bullet right through your forehead now. I won't. I know our friend has been dreaming of doing that for twenty years."

"He won't take the shot now. He's not that dumb. I have more guns, men and firepower. If he takes the shot, he will die. As will all of you."

Zaeed looked around and saw the opportunity. They were in a refinery, so what could they use to their advantage? Fire. Burn the entire place down and catch Vido before it exploded. There were probably better plans, but it was the best one he could think of at that moment. He raised his rifle and opened fire before anyone could react. Shepard couldn’t charge vertically, so simply moved back and fired up, hearing the cries of a mercenary who no doubt took a shot to the crotch.

From behind rudimentary cover, he watched as Vido issues instruction. “Hey, Vido!”

“Will someone kill that piece of shit!”

“Burn, motherfucker!” he growled, firing a burst into a fuel line just above his head. Somehow, the bastard survived as the fire incinerated a trio of mercenaries next to him. The line then exploded, knocking Vido from his feet. He was ready to move when there was another explosion, and he could only see Vido through the flames. “Shit!”

“We’d better move, Zaeed. This place is going to blow!” Shepard stated.

“He’s gotta have a way of here. We’ll have to go right through.”

“You’re fucking crazy,” Jack stated.

“Takes one to know one, and I’ve done crazier and stupider shit,” Shepard said, “Let’s haul arse and hope the plant doesn’t explode while we’re moving through it.”

They moved on as a tighter group now. The fires were raging, and explosions were rocking the facility. He was fairly sure he could hear the cries of the workers. He didn’t pity them, though didn’t want all of them to die just so he could catch one man. But it seemed like a good idea in the heat of the moment. He was surprised Shepard hadn’t chewed his arse out about it, though Shepard had shown a ruthless streak of his own at times. He wasn’t the poster boy many expected of him.

Very few mercenaries were around to stop their progress. But when they did come across a whole bunch of trapped workers, even he came to a halt. “Fuck,” Shepard muttered, before he turned, “Right, Zaeed and Grunt with me. Vido doesn’t get away. Jack, Miranda, Garrus, see if you can help the workers get out of here. Looks like enough of them have died already. Plan has gone tits up. It happens. We’ll keep moving, keep in contact.”

“Okay, Shepard. Stay safe,” Miranda replied.

As those three disappeared to do what they could with the workers and fire, he moved on with Shepard and Grunt. The three were an effective force as the mercenaries rallied, and were soon putting up a more effective defence. But with his two colleagues, they didn’t stand a chance. Shepard seemed to relish blasting away Blue Suns, showing particular dislike for batarians. He understood why. He’d read about Elysium. It might have been organised by a turian, but it was mostly batarians who attacked, primarily looking for human slaves. It explained what happened on Torfan. He’d discussed the topic with Shepard, who said the Butcher deserved a fucking medal and a statue.

So the Blue Suns wilted despite their superior numbers. Shepard must have been exhausted by now. Zaeed felt the strain nowadays, particularly in the heat they were experiencing, but with age came experience. He knew enough to ensure he survived. And he definitely enjoyed taking on those wearing blue. If he had to, he’d taken the organisation apart piece by bloody piece, until there was nothing left. He’d built it, and he’d happily destroy it.

Moving from room to room, there was still the occasional explosion, but a message from Miranda suggested they were managing to control the fires, and that workers were being evacuated. It was only after their communication that Vido thought taunting him was a good idea. First he ordered his men to bring his head. That certainly wasn’t going to happen. Then he thought mocking Shepard was a good idea, which was only going to piss him off, and certainly cause more destruction. Then Vido thought getting really personal was a sensible idea.

"_I took your Blue Suns. I took your life. And now I'm taking it again."_

“Okay, I’m hoping you’re considering a slow, painful death for this cunt,” Shepard muttered.

“Was he always like this? A pathetic weakling, hiding behind his men?” Grunt asked.

“He was always an arsehole, but I thought I had control. I paid for that. Now I will pay it back in kind.”

"_Take a knee now, Zaeed, and maybe I'll forget this ever happened!"_

He ignored him, of course, focusing on killing more mercenaries. Vido had either gone a long recruiting drive, or he’d simply brought an entire battalion of mercenaries to the refinery. Fuck knows where or how he’d got the numbers. But it didn’t really matter as the three of them were wiping them out. Anyone who came investigating afterwards would only find a line of bloody corpses.

"_Let that loser die, Shepard! You can walk out of here alive!"_

It was the only time he gave Shepard a careful look. Shepard simply returned it and grinned. “Good thing I like you, Zaeed,” he joked. Zaeed couldn’t help chuckle, despite it all. Shepard was cut from similar cloth, he seemed. He guessed, if he’d still been Alliance, their paths would never have crossed. He might fly a Cerberus ship, but he didn’t wear their symbol, while his opinion of the Alliance wasn’t high. He’d spoken about simply becoming a mercenary once all was said and done. Generally, a ‘good’ one, where he’d help people rather than do some of the jobs Zaeed did, but Shepard was certainly a more noble character at times.

Not all the time, though.

"_You never should have come after me, Zaeed. Did you not learn your lesson last time we met? Did you forget who you are dealing with?"_

“You could only take me down because I was betrayed. You have no honour, Vido,” he yelled back. He doubted Vido could actually hear him. He didn’t care too much about honour himself, but there was still a certain expectation in the trade. And it was rare to find someone like himself betrayed in such a manner. He would make sure it never happened again.

An enormous YMIR mech might have caused concern, but Shepard and Grunt both came prepared, heavy weapons wiping that out with ease. Another few mercenaries seemed to be the last resistance as they came to a heavy door. Bursting through that, ahead was a landing pad with a gunship resting on it, clearly waiting for Vido. Grunt laughed as he jogged forward, took a knee, and fired his heavy weapon again, the rocket flying past Video and connecting with the gunship, which exploded into a fireball. Vido came to a stop, his shoulders slumping, before he turned around to face them.

Zaeed aimed and put a bullet though his left knee, Vido collapsing to the ground, crying out in agony. He walked forward with Shepard and Grunt alongside, the three forming a circle around Vido, who looked up and immediately started to bargain for his life. Shepard laughed in his face as Vido offered credits, weapons, even the organisation itself, suggesting Zaeed could be let back in, become brothers once again. Zaeed nearly spat in his face.

So he shot him in his other knee, enjoying the howl of pain. Then he aimed and shot him in his left shoulder, then his right shoulder, aiming for the most painful part. His ears were greeted with a mixture of howls and almost sobs. Then he aimed lower, Vido crying out as he shot him right in the crotch. Even Shepard made a sound, nearly turning away, as Vido curled into a ball, or tried to at least. He didn’t have long left anyway.

“Vido,” he said. Vido looked up as he pushed him with his boot so the mercenary was lying on his back. He took a moment to replace the heat sink in his rifle, before he stepped forward, placing a foot on his chest, leaning down slightly, seeing his face through the iron sights. There were no final words. He simply feathered the trigger, took a deep breath, then pulled.

He unloaded the heat sink, even single bullet entering the face of Vido Santiago. By the time the heat sink popped, they wouldn’t even be able to establish who he was due to dental records. His head was pulp. He stepped back, placed the rifle on his back, and patted down his armour, looking for what he wanted. Taking out a trio of cigars, he offered one to Grunt, who waved it away, but Shepard took the one offered, and after he’d lit both, they stood there in silence, enjoying a couple of puffs.

“All in a day’s work, eh?” Shepard said.

“Twenty fuckin’ years I’ve been waiting to do that, Shepard. Twenty fuckin’ years. And I can honestly say thank you.”

“No complaints. Did a good thing. One more scumbag taken care of.” He took another puff. “Good cigar too.”

“Carried them for nearly twenty years, waitin’ for just this day. I promised myself I’d shoot the fucker in the face, then I’d smoke a cigar right next to his corpse.”

Jack, Miranda and Garrus appeared. They took one look at the body and looked away. It was rather gruesome, even he could admit that. As he puffed, Shepard called in the shuttle to come pick them up. They hadn’t finished the cigars by the time it arrived, stubbing them both out before they boarded. As the shuttle took off, he looked down upon the refinery, figuring it would likely burn for some time until people arrived to put the fires out.

Back on the _Normandy_, he thanked Shepard again, and also the others for tagging along, before he headed to his quarters. He had few mementoes of his past life. The only reminder of the Blue Suns was a tattoo on his neck that he now kept hidden. Other than that, the memories were only of life since the Blue Suns. He thought he could now start a new collection, almost a celebration of his life after killing Vido Santiago.

He wasn’t at peace. Someone like him would never be at peace. But he’d had his vengeance, which is all he wanted. He now owed Shepard for giving him that. His mind was now focused on the mission. All he wanted to do now was survive that and move on.

* * *

I’ll admit something now. I think my life was going to get complicated soon. I was pretty much in a full time relationship with Kelly by now. She was living in the cabin, which we were now calling ‘our’ cabin. Rarely was it that we didn’t go to bed together at night. Miranda was obviously interested in me and clearly wanted regular fun with me, which I was all for to a point. After that night and morning with Kasumi, we’d certainly become closer and friendlier, but I wasn’t going to push for anything more than that. I would leave the choice to her. Tali was back on board, and though she said no to anything physical, she still liked to flirt with me. I gave as good as she gave. Jack was making progress, but she still wanted our physical side to continue. I went so far as to speak to Chakwas about that. She didn’t really know how I should approach it. She thought keeping it professional would probably be best, but it was clear Jack liked me and that I would be a ‘safe’ partner for her. She’d noticed how my attitude had completely changed, and I admitted it was due to overwhelming guilt about everything before Teltin.

It was a couple of days after the mission for Zaeed that I was upstairs in the cabin. Kelly had joined some of the girls in one of the lounges for a couple of drinks. I was left thinking it was a ‘no men’ type of evening, which I didn’t mind. I was at my desk, keeping myself busy by putting together one of my model ships. Kelly still thought it was rather cute, even sitting next to me and watching more than once, keeping me company as I concentrated. I suggested it helped hand to eye co-ordination, dexterity, plus I found it relaxing. It required time and patience. Even painting them took precision.

I was just about to start painting a turian fighter when Kelly walked through the door. She walked over and kissed my cheek, before turning my head to kiss me. A wet, sloppy kiss that made me chuckle. I could smell and taste the alcohol on her breath. “Someone has been drinking,” I suggested.

“Only a couple. I’ve been sent up here to take you downstairs.”

“Why?”

“Because the girls want you to be there, Shepard.”

I knew already I was going to be a lamb to wolves. But, to be honest, it was better than being up in my cabin alone, so I let her drag me to the elevator. Entering the lounge, every pair of eyes fell upon me as I walked in. I wasn’t surprised by the likes of Tali, Kasumi and Miranda being present. Jack being there was, obviously keeping her distance from Miranda, but still part of the group. Samara was present, likely not drinking but getting to know her colleagues. Chakwas was there, of course, sitting alone but appearing to enjoy herself. Gabby was there, which was a surprise, and she was usually tied at the hip with Ken. Even a pair of the regular crew was there, Sarah and Jenny. I was led to the couch, where there was already a place for me to sit, Kelly disappearing for a minute and returning with a drink, before she sat next to me.

“Ladies,” I said, “What are you up to?”

“Well, I must admit that Tali was telling us about life on your old ship, Shepard,” Samara explained, “She has gone into some graphic details of what life was like at times.”

I glanced at Tali, and I assumed she was likely drinking as well, considering the glass in her hand, straw she could drink from, and the fact she was already giggling. “Oh, and what sort of stories has she been sharing?” I wondered.

“Well, I think it’s safe to say that you enjoyed much pleasure of the female flesh,” Kasumi stated, “I mean, I’d heard the rumours but from what Tali has told us…”

I looked directly at Tali. “Anything in particular you were sharing, Tali?”

“You were my first man, for starters. I obviously told them about Wrex, and his was the first cock I saw. And I also told them about Ashley, and she was my first partner, the one I lost my virginity to. But I’ve told them all about our first time, Shepard. How you loved going down on me. How gentle you were when you slid your cock into me. How long and thick it is.” She stopped for a moment. “Plus the times you had Ashley and I together. I think you really enjoyed it when you had one of us on all fours and we’d be eating out the other.”

“Good memories, Tali,” I said, “So you’re telling these stores because?”

“They were asking how we knew each other and what life was like. I guess, add a few drinks, and tongues are bound to loosen enough.”

“And I just so happened to be the topic?”

“Who else would we talk about?” Miranda retorted, “There are at least four in here you’ve fucked. I think the only one in this room right now who won’t fuck you is Samara, and that’s only because of her code.”

“Nicely put, cheerleader.”

I glanced around and I did feel like a lamb as some of the wolves looked hungry. I couldn’t help chuckle, sipping on my drink, before stating, “I’ve seen movies start like this.”

“We’re not having an orgy, Shepard,” Kelly stated. I’ll admit I sighed with relief at that. One woman is perfect. Two women is a lot of fun. Three women? Yeah, I’ll survive that. Four or more? I’d give it a go, probably have a lot of fun, but it’s just too many to satisfy unless they do a lot of the work together.

“So… what are we doing then?”

Kelly gently grabbed my chin, turning it so I could kiss her. This was a much better kiss than the one upstairs. I stopped her a moment, sculled my drink and put the glass down, before I could now focus on her completely. As I kissed her, I felt another hand on my cock, covered by my pants, glancing to see Miranda on my other side, definitely trying to get me hard. So I stopped kissing Kelly and turned to kiss her. She squealed as I pulled her close, Kelly taking over what she was doing.

Then I stopped and sat back, watching as glances were shared. If they wanted to go down this road in a certain way, I wasn’t going to stop it. But I was wondering who wanted to be involved. Kelly eventually moved to sit on my lap, her fingers easily undoing the buttons of my shirt. Once they were undone, I sat forward so she could take it off, her hands immediately moving up and down my chest, Miranda leaning over to kiss my shoulder and up my neck. Jack sat to my other side, kissing me as well.

Kelly then got off my lap, spreading my legs a little so she could sit between them. She took off my boots and socks first before reaching forward to unbuckle my belt and top of my trousers before lowering the fly. She met my eyes and I just shrugged as she reached forward as I sat up, allowing her to take both the trousers and my underwear down. She placed all my clothes as I sat there naked, my cock rock hard, resting against my body. I glanced to see some very appreciative looks returned.

“Goddess,” Samara whispered.

“Must book his next physical soon,” Chakwas stated with humour.

“I remember that very well,” Tali cooed.

Kelly kissed up my inner thighs before her tongue started to lick balls as I turned to kiss Jack, making her whimper as I kissed her hard, before turning to do the same to Miranda. Kelly was now running her tongue up and down my shaft, making it nice and slick as I had to lean back and groan. She teased me for what felt like a long time as I looked around, every woman watching intently.

“So big,” Kasumi whispered, “I felt it against me but I had no idea.”

Kelly eventually took some of my cock in her mouth, making me groan against as I ran my fingers through her hair. She looked up and smiled as her head started to slowly bob up and down. As she blew me, she started to undress, and I glanced to see Miranda and Jack doing the same. Well, it might not be an orgy but something was going to happen. And, by now, I didn’t really care.

Miranda was actually naked first in her haste, leaning over to grab one of her breasts and take her nipple in my mouth, feeling it hard as I licked and nibbled it, doing the same to her other one before kissing back up her body, biting her neck, making her squeal before I kissed her. “Jack,” she whispered.

I thought that was a surprise, but I turned to see Jack was now naked as well. I asked her, “Are you sure?” and her very eager nod put everything out of my mind as I dragged her close and kissed her too, doing the same to her as I’d done to Miranda. Kelly was now bobbing up and down quickly on my cock, causing me to groan, though she then removed herself as Miranda leaned over to take my length. I groaned loudly when that happened as Kelly sat on her knees, looking pleased with herself. Miranda’s head bobbed up and down for a while before she moved, allowing Jack to have her go.

“Keelah, this is so fucking hot,” Tali whispered. I had no doubt she’d started one of her suit programs to masturbate. I also knew she’d probably like to be involved, but wouldn’t allow herself. I’d talked to her about Kal’Reegar, and it was obvious how much they adored each other. She was just getting a free show. All the other women were watching with slight grins, and their eyes told me many of the thoughts currently in their minds.

Kelly eventually took over and she was now doing everything to make me cum. Miranda and Jack pressed their bodies into me, their hands all over my body, kissing me either side. I managed to move my hands down their own bodies, feeling their legs spread so I could start to fondle them in return, no surprise they were both wet. “Yes, Shepard,” Jack breathed. First time I’d touched her in a number of weeks.

“Kelly,” I breathed.

“Make him cum, Kelly!” Chakwas shouted. I could only laugh as I stared at her for a moment, wide-eyed.

“Swallow it all, Kelly!” Gabby added.

Her head was now bobbing up and down like a piston in an old engine. I could barely concentrate on Miranda or Jack, cleaning my fingers before running a hand through Kelly’s hair again, this time holding the back of her head, moving my hips. I could feel it bubbling away and couldn’t hold it back any longer, groaning loudly as I felt the first shot fire into her mouth. My body seriously bucked as I fired again and again, Kelly sounding pleased with herself, almost desperate to take my whole loud. She definitely made a swallowing noise more than once, slowing down her movements but continuing to suck me until she could sense I had enough. Only then did she release my cock, letting it sit against my body once again as she looked up and opened her mouth.

“Cumslut,” Miranda joked.

“Oh, like you wouldn’t swallow his load too, Miranda,” she retorted.

“Hell yes, I would. I’m just jealous you chose not to share it.”

I could only relax back against the lounge, feeling a little light-headed, chuckling at the fact I’d just been blown in a room full of women, all of them my subordinates. Kelly sat forward, resting her head against my thigh, looking up at me with nothing but a smile on her face, reaching forward to gently brush her cheek with my thumb. Then I stood up, towering over her and all the other woman. I swear, they collectively swooned and I’m sure nearly all of them wanted me in that moment. I met each and every single pair of eyes and could read them easily. Every single one would have liked me to just rip their clothes off and just fuck them. I wouldn’t, of course. For most of them, it would remain a fantasy.

Kelly, however, could get the real thing. I gently picked her up and sat her down on the couch, then turned her around so she was on her knees, resting her head against the back. Getting behind her, I spread her legs, exposing herself to me and everyone else. She was already dripping wet as I buried my mouth and tongue. “Oh god, “she moaned, before she giggled as I ran my tongue up to tickle her little arsehole as well. But it wasn’t the time for that.

Kelly Chambers had her pussy eaten in front of nearly every female members of the _Normandy._ She loved every second of it. So did I. I’ll admit I pretty much forgot about them for some of the time, focused as I was on her. I reached forward, gently fondling her breasts at the same time, enjoying all the moans she made.

“God, I wish a man would eat my pussy like that,” Chakwas muttered. I think she was definitely enjoying the show now after a couple of drinks.

Gabby scoffed. “I can’t even remember the last time someone did that for me.”

“Should have fucked him that morning,” Kasumi murmured. I almost stopped and looked at her in surprise, before she added, “Or I would have loved what Kelly is getting at least.”

Kelly was now far too excited; I think it happening in front of all the girls far too much for her. She moaned my name more than once before she started to orgasm, her entire body shaking as I did not relent for a second, making her fall forward slightly, her upper body resting against the back of the lounge though remaining comfortable and in position for me. I kept going until I slowed down, eventually kissing up her butt cheek and her back before I kissed her cheek, whispering into her ear, “I hope you enjoyed that.”

I then pulled her forward again and slid my cock inside her. That made her squeal though I gestured for Miranda and Jack to get into position. I gave Kelly a few thrusts before I pulled out and moved behind Miranda, sliding my cock into her. She groaned as I did, giving her arse a firm slap as I leaned forward, resting a hand on her shoulder and giving her a few firm thrusts. “Fuck yes, Shepard,” she cried quietly.

“Love my cock, Miranda?”

“Best I’ve ever had, Shepard.”

“Oh my,” Tali stated, “Oh, this is definitely a reminder.”

Kelly and Jack were both looking at me, so I pulled out of Miranda and got into position behind Kelly, teasing her by rubbing my cock against her pussy, sliding it inside her and just waiting a few seconds, leaning forward to kiss her neck, before I pulled out. Jack immediately spun around, sitting on her back but spreading her legs wide, everyone getting a good look at her bald pussy. I gently slid my cock inside her, enjoying the gasp and loud moan she released as I buried my cock. I didn’t pound her hard, making sure it remained gentle, leaning down to kiss her.

“Just what I wanted,” she said.

“Good. That’s what I wanted to hear.”

“Next time, alone though.”

I couldn’t help chuckle. “Sure thing, Jack. Might have to get you a better bed though.”

Finding it a little awkward, I pulled out and eventually sat down, Kelly immediately leaping onto my cock. That’s when I suggested each girl just rides to an orgasm and I’d try not to cum. The three agreed, so Kelly rode me fast, and she was desperate to cum, almost as if to show off. My hands just found their way to her arse and held them firmly, her hands on my shoulders, as she bounced like never before, so it seemed.

“Your cock is wonderful, Shepard,” she moaned.

“It sure is,” Miranda added. I could see she was busy fondling herself, as was Jack. As focused on them as I was, I was sure one or two others might have been doing the same.

Kelly was too turned on as she must have cum within five minutes, needing me to hold onto her as she almost fell off my lap her orgasm was so good. I waited until she’d calmed down, kissing her hard and cuddling her to me as she eventually leaned back and caressed my face. “Having fun?”

“God yes.”

“Good. Think this is deserved.”

“This is why I love you.”

I was rewarded with one of those beautiful smiles, and there was more than one appreciative noise from the other women. Guess they were now aware. I think Kelly wanted to continue, but also wanted to be fair, so only slightly begrudgingly did she move off my lap. Miranda and Jack looked at each other. Jack eventually gestured to Miranda, who thanked her, my XO excitedly straddling my lap and sliding down my cock with intent.

Watching Miranda ride me was always exhilarating. Her breasts, even she admitted were obviously fake, were still wonderful, and I buried my face in them, earning a giggle as she wasted no time riding me as fast as Kelly. My hands grabbed a good handful of each butt cheek, squeezing them hard in return, something I’d learned she loved no matter what position we were fucking. And just like Kelly, she was also very turned on, as she lasted no more than ten minutes before she was starting to make those noises I already knew well.

“Oh god, Shepard,” she moaned.

“Do you really love my cock that much?”

“More than anything, Shepard.” She kissed me hard and then she started to orgasm, moaning into my mouth as I wrapped an arm around her to keep her steady, feeling her thighs try to squeeze my legs as she kept going, really pushing down on my cock with some force, before she finally had to stop and just collapsed against me, immediately wrapping my arms around her.

“Well, I think we can say there is a difference in Miss Lawson now,” Sarah stated.

“I think this explains her good mood nowadays,” Jenny added.

“You should get a piece of him, girls. You’d love it,” Miranda murmured.

“Do you need to cum, Shepard?” Kelly asked.

I glanced at Jack and I didn’t even need to ask the question as she nodded eagerly. Miranda took a few minutes before she stood up on unsteady legs, walking towards the bar naked without a care in the world. Only then did I notice a few women were excited. Kasumi had a hand down her pants, as did Chakwas. She met my eye and smirked. Samara seemed amused by it all.

“I am glad some humans are not as embarrassed about sex as I believe they are, Shepard,” she stated.

“Oh, this is still unusual. I didn’t expect this.”

“The way some were talking about you earlier, Shepard, this is exactly what I expected. The only difference is I believed you would have ended up being with them all. Perhaps some hesitate as they would prefer you in private.”

“Yes,” Kasumi stated immediately. I looked at her in surprise and she shrugged. “Just being honest, Shepard. Watching this now… That night you stayed with me, I was already having thoughts, but it was too soon. Now? Maybe still too soon, but…”

“We might need to open that bottle one night soon, Commander,” Chakwas added, “Though I won’t need liquid courage for what I really want. Not after sitting here, watching this.”

Jack looked at me and said, “Not like that, Shepard,” as she laid back along the couch, resting her head on a pillow against the armrest. I immediately moved towards her, kissing up her leg as she placed one foot on the floor, hooking her other leg over the back, as I kissed towards her pussy. She moaned lightly as I ran my tongue along her slit, giving her clit a little tickle at the same time, before I kissed up her body, giving her breasts some attention too, before I finally met her eyes.

“Sure?” I asked a final time.

“Always been sure about this, Shepard. But I want it… I want it like you are with Kelly. She told us about it and… I don’t want to feel used… or dirty…”

I kissed her softly on the lips, caressed her face, as I gently slid my cock inside her, letting her get used to it, gentle thrusts before I buried myself completely. Then we made love, my face never more than a couple of inches from hers, the kisses constantly soft and affection. Her hands ran up my arms and down my back, down my sides and up my chest. I rarely picked up and sort of tempo, her moans soft and quiet, though her face was one of enjoyment and bliss.

I barely noticed many of the women actually came in close to watch. Jack hooked the leg that was over the back of the couch around me, but apart from that, we barely moved. Only when I felt an approaching orgasm did I let her know I’d go faster. “I need to cum,” I whispered.

She nodded eagerly, holding the back of my neck with her hand as I kissed her, starting to thrust into her a little faster. She started to cry out a little louder, her eyes still watching mine intently. “I’m close, Jack,” I said quietly.

“Cum in me, Shepard,” she pleaded.

She got what she wanted no more than a minute later, trying not to bury myself to hard as she lifted her other leg around me, feeing her ankles crossover as she held the back of my neck with two hands. I moaned loudly before I finally stopped moving, leaving my cock buried inside her. When I finally stopped, the kiss we shared was intense, full of passion. And there was no surprise that she had a little cry.

“That was beautiful,” Kelly whispered from next to us.

I finally looked up. I now had a room full of women who wanted what Jack had just received. She didn’t want to let me go either, keeping her legs crossed for quite a long time. I didn’t mind. Chakwas moved across, sitting on her knees next to us. “How do you feel, Jack?”

“Wonderful, Doc. I’ve never felt so… happy after sex. I wanted it because I wanted to just be with him, not because I needed something, or I needed a high. I can feel my heart pounding, and I’ve now got all these thoughts, but they’re… pleasant.”

“Well, it’s early days yet, Jack, but I’m glad you were able to enjoy this moment for what it was. Two people connecting.”

Jack did finally let me go and I could sit back and relax, finding another drink handed to me by Kelly, who sat next to me. Miranda was sat naked on a chair by herself with a drink, leg hooked over an armrest, completely exposed, and she didn’t seem to honestly care. I felt my dick twitch looking at her, which made her laugh. “I think it’s obvious what happens in here, stays in here, Shepard.”

“You are a beautiful woman, Miranda,” Kelly stated.

“Definitely. Been a while since I had human pussy,” Tali added, her words slightly slurred, so I was left thinking our resident quarian was now a little drunk.

“Oh, and do you like human pussy, Tali?”

“Like it? I love it, Miranda. I remember making Ashley cum all the time. Keelah, what she could do to me in return though.”

“I think Tali needs some Kal in her life,” I said.

“I bought some toys, Shepard. Trust me, I can get out of this suit without any drama nowadays.”

I looked around the room, wondering who would be interested in doing anything. Kelly was happily beside me, so I whispered into her ear if she would mind. She just laughed and whispered back that of course she didn’t. What Miranda said was correct. Wondering what she did mean, I glanced back to see the door was locked. I couldn’t help smirk. I stood up and looked around. I was tempted by Kasumi, but… wasn’t sure. Samara wouldn’t, and I wouldn’t want to offend her.

So I walked towards Chakwas, who looked at me with eyes that told me she would do what I wanted. Standing beside her chair, she placed her glass on the armrest and gently grabbed my shaft, giving it a few gentle strokes before positioning me so she could lean slightly and run her tongue along my shaft. She did that a number of times, looking up at me with a smile, before I watched her take a few inches of my cock in her mouth.

“Yes! Go Karin!” Kelly cried.

“Wow, she’s rather eager,” Miranda added.

Chakwas was definitely eager, one of her hands grabbing my butt to drag me as close as possible. Finding it awkward, she simply got up out of her chair and dropped to her knees, taking my cock again and happily started to blow me. I could only look down, feeling slightly stunned in all honesty, but if I thought that was a surprise, Gabby then appeared next to her. So Chakwas stopped so Gabby could then have a go. I honestly thought she was fooling around with Ken, but I guess not. And she seemed desperate to please me, trying to swallow my entire length as quickly as possible.

“I don’t want to be fucked here, Shepard,” Chakwas stated, “I’d like to happen in privacy.”

“Okay. What about you, Gabby?”

“I’m just joining in with the fun, Shepard.”

That seemed to light the fire under Sarah and Jenny, as they both joined Gabby, and I soon had four women sharing my cock between them. At that moment, I felt like a king. Though that’s when I did look over to see Kelly walk on all fours across the room towards Miranda, who definitely watch her with interest. When Kelly lowered her mouth to her pussy, my cock definitely got harder.

“Okay, now that’s what I’ve come in here to see!” I shouted, everyone turning to see what was happening.

Though I was appreciating attention from the four women, and I promised each of them that I would give them some alone time at a later date, which I knew immediately it was a promise I’d have to keep in the end, they left me alone as I walked across the room to get behind Kelly. She glanced back as I got in position behind her, immediately sliding my cock inside her as she returned her attention to Miranda. Grabbing her tight by the hips, I was immediately pumping into her hard.

“Oh my,” Kasumi muttered. Glancing around, Jack was still lying back on the lounge, with Gabby now between her legs, busy undressing herself while she ate her out, while Jenny was kissing Jack at the same time. So much for it not turning into an orgy, but by that stage, I didn’t really care.

Kelly was getting seriously fucked without a couple of minutes, enough that she had to stop focusing on Miranda, lowering her head to the floor and looking back, begging me to just fuck her. I was now growling I pumped into her, desperate to cum again. The only people not watching were the three on the couch, busy entertaining themselves. Just as I was about to cum, I lifted Kelly so she was level, pulling out to cum all over her back. Despite the fact I’d already cum twice, I still left a few long white ropes on her back, before I just had to collapse onto the floor, feeling the strain.

Kelly giggled to herself before she simply resumed eating out Miranda. I watched that go in for a little while, Miranda enjoying another orgasm, as Kasumi got off her seat and joined me on the floor. Lying next to me, she hesitated only a moment before leaning over to kiss me, her hand immediately running down my body to my cock. “Just wanted to feel it,” she whispered as she kissed me.

“I don’t mind. I just thought you’d rather privacy if we ever go further.”

“I do want to, but I definitely want privacy. Intimacy. To make love, Shepard.”

“Whenever you’re ready, Kasumi.”

We made out for a little while before she leaned back and smiled, having done what she wanted. Kelly and Miranda were now on the other lounge, the pair now eating out each other, which I enjoyed thoroughly. Gabby was still eating out Jack, while Jenny and Sarah were now naked, Sarah leaning back on her elbows with Jenny finger fucking her. Chakwas wandered over to me, getting down on the floor and taking my cock in her mouth again. “I won’t cum again,” I admitted, “I’ll barely get hard enough.”

She smiled in understanding, so she kissed up my body to eventually kiss me instead. “I look forward to having you alone, Shepard. Maybe you could show this older woman a thing or two?”

I couldn’t help laugh at the idea of ever doing that. Turning around, I did wonder, “So, am I on a ship with a bunch of women who like to experiment? Bisexual? Or…”

“I think it’s being horny and providing entertainment for their commander,” Chakwas replied, “Women are still more open-minded about sex than men. Would I be right?” I nodded. Nothing else needed to be said. Men simply didn’t interest me sexually.

She was proven right as after each woman seemed to have an orgasm, it just… stopped. All eyes turned to me again, no doubt wondering what was going to happen next. I thought that I could probably just walk around the room, slip my dick into any of them, and they’d love it for a few minutes. All the skin on display was very exciting though. Gabby had a fantastic body, rather athletic, and a great pair of legs. No doubt due to being on her feet all day. Sarah and Jenny were both petite little things, reminders of Jack just without all the body art.

I stood up, all eyes on me, watching intently, as I walked over to where my clothes were piled up. “Ladies, I will easily consider this one of the best nights of my life. You are all absolutely beautiful to start with, and the fact you are all so open-minded makes it an absolute pleasure. But I am also only one man, and while my brain would love for me for this to just go on and on, the body can only give so much before it wants a rest. You know I’m with Kelly, that she now lives with me upstairs. You know I’ve been with Miranda and Jack before. But I can only assume that, one way or another, I’ll be with each and every one of you as well. I’m not sure how it will work. I’m not sure if it will work. I can’t make many promises as, at the end of the day, we are here about the mission. I can afford distraction but not to the detriment of the mission. And the same applies for all of you.”

I dressed as I talked, walking over to Kelly, helping her to her feet. “Thank you,” I whispered, “Thank you for being so open-minded. So understanding. So absolutely wonderful and positive. It’s your presence that has made this all work so well. You helped calm my fears, ease my mind, and I felt at peace with all this far quicker than if you were not here.” I leaned down and kissed her softly. “I love you, Miss Chambers.” She blinked rapidly, needing to wipe her cheeks as I hugged her. The hug turned into me scooping her up in my arms, asking someone to grab her clothes for me. They were handed to Kelly, and we wished everyone a good night, but we were going to bed.

It must have been rather late as the lights in the mess had been turned down, and I carried Kelly all the way back to our cabin, placing her gently on the bed before I undressed my quickly, joining her as she immediately cuddled into me. “Have fun?” she asked.

“Absolutely.”

“It was all for you, Shepard. Once I mentioned it to a couple of the girls, they were all for it. You have quite the fan club. I didn’t know they were all so open-minded though. Tali and Samara, I knew they wouldn’t be physically involved. But I didn’t think Karin would have been involved as much. Nor Gabby, to be honest. I knew me, Miranda and Jack… and I know Kasumi has deep affection for you now…”

“I can’t do that too often, that’s the thing. I was always worried about jealousy on the old Normandy. It’s a natural thing when I’m with so many partners. I simply don’t have the time to fulfil all their needs. If they want a little fun every now and then, that’s great. But, to be honest, having more than one girl on the ship is difficult as it is.”

“If you don’t want…”

“No, let’s just see how thing go. If they can accept a one time or casual thing, then that will work. But I can’t be serious with so many. It’s a ridiculous notion. You are my serious relationship, Kelly. On this ship, you are the one I would stop everything for.” When I looked at her, she needed to blink rapidly. I don’t think she knew that I was so serious about her. I turned onto my side and kissed her. “Kelly, the only woman out in the galaxy who I feel exactly the same way for is Gianna.” I paused. “No, that’s a lie. There are two other women, though one is an asari.”

“Liara?”

“No, Shiala. I adore Liara, but compared to Shiala… And I love her as much as Gianna, and as much as I love you. I’ve told her too. I’m in the awkward position of being deeply in love with three women, and I know for a fact I will never be able to choose.”

“I’ll never ask, Shepard,” she whispered, cuddling into me tightly, “Because I know how lucky I am. We’re in a different time now. Love and relationships, what they supposedly mean. We’ve moved on from that thinking. The asari have certainly shown us that.”

“So say we defeat the Collectors, then we have years of peace where I don’t need to travel the galaxy constantly. What are you thinking?”

“Well, if you can organise it, you might have at least three wives if they accept the situation.”

“You’re serious?”

“Absolutely, Shepard.” She paused before looking up to meet my eyes. “Maybe a family too.”

The thought instantly made me smile. “Unconventional.”

“Who cares? What would matter is that we’d be at peace, you would have the women you love, we would have the man we love, and that’s the most important thing.” She cuddled into me. “All I need form you Shepard is to survive this. The idea of losing you now…”

I held her tight. “I’m not going anywhere this time,” I whispered.

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

“Did you enjoy your fun with Miranda?”

“I did, but it was simply in the moment, Shepard. Like when we had fun with Tara. I like eating pussy, I won’t deny it, but I’ll be honest, I’ll only do it when you are around, or for your enjoyment. I think a few of them were thinking that. Normally wouldn’t consider it, but they would do it for their commander.”

“I think I have a very loyal crew then.”

“They adore you, Shepard.”

“Well, I certainly adore them in return. Beautiful and intelligent, all of them.” I kissed her before I leaned back to switch off the light, wrapping my arms tightly around her again. “I love you,” I whispered a final time, hearing her whisper the same words back as she snuggled to get comfortable. I think we fell asleep at the same time that evening.


	35. It's a Trap!

Placing the mug of coffee by her terminal, I stood just close enough she could almost feel me press against her as I breathed into her ear, “Coffee for you, Miss Chambers.”

She turned slightly, her eyes moving to me as she smiled. “Why thank you, Shepard,” she replied in a seductive tone. Putting it on, of course, but it was enough for me.

I kissed her cheek before moving down to her neck. She moaned quietly as she ran a hand back up and through my hair. I looked up and the crew were focused on their monitors. Many wore headphones to help concentrate. And if anyone did look, they’d be no longer surprised. They all knew I was with Kelly and we no longer had a problem being open with our affection.

Running a hand down her body, I slid under the band of her trousers, pleased to see she wasn’t wearing underwear. She liked to do that more often, as we often liked to tease each other during the day, simply to make life more fun as it could be rather dull while waiting around for missions. She kept the hair around her pussy trimmed in parts, shaved otherwise. She knew I liked a little hair, just enough to run my fingers across. She moaned quietly again, pressing back into me. “Shepard,” she breathed.

“You’re beautiful,” I whispered into her ear.

“Bet you say that to all your girls.”

“Only those that I love.”

She turned around and kissed me for that one, gently pressing her back against her workstation, my hand still down her pants. I kept our bodies close so you’d have to walk around the galaxy map to see what we were doing. She simply gazed into my eyes, feeling her legs part slightly, as I slid a couple of fingers into her. She relented easily, opening the button of her trousers and lowering the fly so I could do it easier.

“So naughty,” she whispered.

I kissed her hard though my fingers remained gentle inside her. This was only teasing, though if I could make her cum, even better. I did raise my fingers, ready to suck on them, when I offered them to her instead. When she sucked on them and moaned a little louder, I think my cock got even harder. She then helped guide them back to her pussy. Leaning forward, she asked, “Think I haven’t done that before?”

“Oh, I’m sure you have but…”

Moving in closer to kiss her, she moaned into my mouth again. I’m sure we were now being observed, but by now, neither of us would have cared. We could have fucked in the CIC and wouldn’t have cared. People would probably watch for a little while then just go about their day. They knew we flirted and fooled around all the time. To be honest, probably one of the few good reasons to be on a Cerberus vessel. Never would have got away with this sort of behaviour on an Alliance ship.

Hearing the cleared throat behind me did bring my fingers to a momentary halt. I glanced back to see Miranda. Now, Miranda when this all started would have stood there with arms folded, scowl on her face. Miranda when we were friends would have probably been a little embarrassed. The Miranda we knew now looked like she’d been watching for at least a couple of minutes. “I don’t mean to interrupt but…”

“No, it’s fine. I think we might have ended up getting carried away,” I admitted.

“Shepard, I was on the verge of just dropping my trousers and pushing you down onto your knees so you’d finish me off.”

Miranda laughed. “I can come back in ten minutes.”

“No, it’s best you taken him, Miranda. I’ll see if I can concentrate on work.” She did up her trousers before she gave me a soft kiss. “We’ll carry all that on tonight,” she whispered.

“Definitely.” I joined Miranda by the elevator and has to ask, “How long were you watching?”

“Long enough to see her suck your fingers, Shepard. Long enough to know for a fact you two were going to end up fucking in the CIC. It’s going to happen eventually. You two can’t keep your hands off each other. It’s… It’s nice to see, Shepard. Even I can admit that. Hell, I sometimes feel guilty for getting intimate with you too.”

Stepping out of the elevator, I said, “I used to, but Kelly and I have discussed it enough. We’re now in a great place. Anyway, you obviously wanted me for something?”

“The Illusive Man sent me a message. He’d like you to contact him shortly.”

Walking into her office, I sat at her desk, Miranda taking her usual position. “Hope it’s good news about a next step. We’re managing to keep ourselves busy but the whole point to this is about the Collectors, yet we’ve barely heard anything since Horizon.”

“Nothing from the Alliance?” she asked.

“I’m receiving updates about colonies that are being attacked. They’re trying to track Collector movements, but honestly, they appear pretty clueless. I think they want to help but don’t want to send anything through Cerberus channels, not knowing where the information will go.”

“I’ll see if he’s ready to talk yet.” She keyed a few commands and I waited patiently. She eventually received a message back. “He’s on a conference call at the moment. He’ll message when he’s finished.”

“Are you okay?” I asked.

I think the question surprised her. I wasn’t worried, it was just a casual question. “Sure, why wouldn’t I be?”

“An innocent question, Miranda. That’s all.”

She leaned forward. I noticed her buttons were loosened lower than normal, getting an excellent view of her cleavage. No doubt done on purpose and probably for my benefit. “I did enjoy what we all did the other night, Shepard.”

“Figured you did. Haven’t seen you act like that before.”

“In a room full of women, it was… freeing to wander around naked and not feel like a piece of meat. I was so exposed at times but always felt comfortable. I always do with you anyway. And Kelly is certainly talented. You’re a very lucky man, Shepard.”

“I know.”

“She’s already sent a message around, asking when we’d like to do it again. I have a feeling some girls would like that to happen constantly from now on. I think it would wear you out.”

“More than likely. It was great fun but I do prefer the more intimate setting with just one, maybe two girls at most. But on certain occasions, it’s nice getting carried away and just going with it.”

“What will you do when this is over?”

“You mean with Kelly? Or with Kelly and everyone else?”

“Well, with Kelly first?”

“Find a way we can remain together. I’m not sure how yet, but I’ll figure it out. Regarding the rest of you, I really don’t know. I mean, I desperately want Gianna with me, but she’s on Illium, I’m here, and the chances of us seeing each other isn’t great because I’m only going to rarely be near there. Same for Shiala. I haven’t even been to Feros yet. The only chance I will get to see her is on Illium, with Liara, but being alone is difficult because Liara wants to be involved, because Shiala and Liara are involved.”

“Bloody hell, that does sound awkward.”

“Yeah, but Liara admitted that, if I offered, Shiala would leave her in an instant. I felt sorry for her in that moment, though she appreciated Shiala was only being honest.”

“We tried to recruit her,” Miranda confessed, “Shiala, I mean. No Alliance affiliation made her rather ideal, to be honest. We sent a couple of our recruiters to speak with her. Suffice to say, she thought we were talking bullshit. She’d dealt with the idea and all the grief that you were gone. She thought it was nothing but a cruel joke. And the fact they were from Cerberus? I think the entire colony wanted to kill them, so they left quickly after that.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Shiala probably didn’t want to say anything because it would have been awkward. I mean, how was it with Liara?”

“She told me the truth about everything nearly straight away. I was blown away, to be honest. I did ask if she did it because she loved me or for some other reason. Though it was partly about love, it was more about who I was, or at least what I represented, and also my knowledge of the Reapers. I mean, at least she never gave up on me.”

“Neither did we,” Miranda added, “Nor did I.”

“I know, Miranda,” I said softly.

Her terminal beeped, signalling a message had arrived. She read it quickly and suggested I head to the conference room. Once I was standing in my usual spot, the room darkened and the Illusive Man appeared in front of me yet again. Last time we’d spoke, he hadn’t managed to get a word in as I ranted, raved and threatened retribution about Jack. He’d barely communicated since, perhaps giving me time to calm down.

Smoking a cigarette, drink in hand, he walked towards me. “Shepard, we caught a break. I intercepted a distress call from a turian patrol. They stumbled on to a Collector ship beyond the Korlus system. The turians were wiped out, but not before they crippled the Collector vessel.” I thought it sounded rather convenient, but it was also a breakthrough, a chance to perhaps get on the front foot. “I need you to board that ship and get some hard data on the Collectors. Find us a way to get to their homeworld.”

“How the hell did a turian ship manage to disable a Collector vessel? I’ve seen one in person. They are not easy to take out.”

“Reports indicate the hull’s intact, but all systems seem to be offline. They could be making repairs as we speak. I’m not saying it won’t be dangerous, but we can’t let an opportunity like this slip by.”

“What about turian involvement? I don’t want to trip over them while we’re at work. I doubt they’ll take kindly to our presence.”

“I intercepted the transmissions. They’ll find out eventually, though long after you’ve been and gone. In the meantime, we’re feeding them false reports. You’re close enough that you can be in and out before the turians learn the truth.”

“Okay, time we got on the front foot. Send the details and I’ll have the Normandy head there immediately.”

“Shepard, one thing. Once you’re aboard the ship, establish an uplink with EDI. She’ll mine their data for information regarding the Omega Four relay.”

“I’ll have our experts look into them on the Normandy as well.”

“I’d expected nothing less. Good luck, Shepard. This is the break we’ve been waiting for.”

I headed straight to my terminal to see a message from the Illusive Man. I transferred the details directly to the galaxy map. I could sense Kelly watching me as I checked our own position in relation to the Korlus system. _What was a turian patrol doing there?_ A lot of what I was told didn’t make sense, but I’d worry about that later. For now, all that mattered was the fact we had a golden opportunity to learn more about our enemy.

“Joker, sending you details now. Korlus system. Get us there pronto. Whatever you can do to get us there yesterday, if possible.”

_“Well, they still haven’t discovered time travel, Commander, but I’ll get us there as quickly as possible. I’ll update you on our progress once we’re on route.”_

“As ever, that is all I ask, Joker.”

Back at my terminal, I sent the message I’d received to the entire ship with my own personal message of what I expected from the crew going forward. For the moment, we would effectively become a military vessel, as the ship might appear to be disabled, but with each passing minute, I simply didn’t believe a turian patrol could just disable one of their ships in such a manner. It smelled like a trap, and I didn’t know if it was the Collectors or the Illusive Man leading us into it.

Miranda appeared a few minutes later, noticing my change in demeanour. “I want all stations monitored twenty-four seven, Miranda. I want constant updates on how the ship is performing. Until we are finished on the Collector vessel, we are at Defcon Three. Before you ask, we’ve barely been at Defcon Four since Horizon. It’s been that quiet regarding the Collectors.”

“I’ll make sure you are kept full informed regarding ship and crew performance, Shepard.”

“Thank you.”

I fired off messages to Jacob in the armoury, ensuring all weapons and armour was prepared, to Garrus, asking that he have the front batteries ready to fire at a moment’s notice, to Tali in engineering, asking that the engine be ready to extract performance at the drop of a hat, to Chakwas to be ready for any injuries. Joker reported in half an hour later. Even by pushing the _Normandy_ to its limit, it was still going to be two days. There was nothing I could do to change that, so I asked he just try and chip off as many minutes as possible. The _Normandy_ was a new ship. It could be pushed if necessary.

Kelly noticed I was pumped up and ready for action that night. She was rather excited by it and she definitely leapt on me once we headed upstairs after dinner. I met her expectations as, after an hour and more of lovemaking, she needed to roll off me and recover her breath, giggling away as her legs were still shaking. “My god, give you a sniff of battle, Shepard…”

“Just finishing what we started earlier…” Rolling onto my side, I just gazed up and down her body, and her face lit up as I just drank her in. Running my hand down her chest, over her stomach, my hand returned to her pussy. She almost wanted to stop me, but once I touched her again, she moaned and dragged my head down to kiss her.

“God, I still want more,” she whispered, “Do you?”

“Of you, Miss Chambers? Always.”

We lasted another hour at least before I was left thinking that we had to cry enough. Kelly was starting to feel rather tender between her legs. Even though we stopped actual intercourse for the moment, she still wanted my touch, making out with my hand still between her legs, her hot breath in my ear as I got her off again. We’d lost track of how often she’d cum by now. She gently bit into my shoulder as she cried out, feeling her squeeze my fingers. “Oh god,” she cried out. She was now drenched in sweat like I was. We were both exhausted, but our passion for the other was almost insatiable. I just felt… alive. If I couldn’t fight, I just wanted her. She held onto my shoulders, her legs still spread, blowing her hair off her forehead her eyes watching mine.

“Another one?” I asked.

“Don’t stop,” she begged before she kissed me hard. To my own surprise, I was rock hard again, and she pulled me on top of her, grabbing my cock and almost forcing it inside her. We just fucked after that, Kelly lifting her legs back, holding her shins, legs wide, as I pounded her. “Oh god, fuck me, Shepard,” she cried.

All I did was grunt, even growl, desperate to please her but I also wanted to cum one final time. It verged on animalistic at times, both of us desperate to get off with the other. I’d lean down to kiss her, barely slowing my tempo as she let go of her legs, glancing to see she’d spread them as wide as possible. “Deeper!” she moaned. So I changed the angle slightly and she moaned loudly for that.

I lasted quite a while before I felt the urge. By then, Kelly had turned onto her front, resting my chest gently against her back, one hand holding hers, the other wrapped around her body. She leaned back so we could kiss a little but mostly so I could whisper things into her ear. When I did finally finish, I buried myself again and again, and all she did was smile and laugh at the sensation, almost delirious as we collapsed onto the bed together. I immediately rolled off her, onto my back, as she laid on her front.

“Holy shit,” I exclaimed.

The only sound in the cabin for at least five minutes was our breathing. Glancing across, her skin was shining in the light, and I realised we both really needed a shower. I could barely stand up, but she could barely move. Gently moving her over, I picked her up, which earned me another kiss, carrying her to the shower, holding her against me as she could barely stand up. When I’d washed us both, we stood under the water, enjoying the heat. “I love you so much,” she whispered.

I felt exactly the same way about her and let her know. Once we’d dried off, I carried her back to bed. Our appetites now sated, she curled up against me, now just wanting me to hold her in my arms. Making sure we were warm under the blankets, I gave her a final kiss and she was asleep within a minute. It was rather cute.

The next morning, I was up early, letting her sleep as she was still out cold while I showered and dressed. Only when I was putting on my shoes did I feel her sit behind me on the bed, looping her arms around me, nuzzling into my neck. “How are you feeling?” I asked.

“Sore, Shepard. Very sore. But I feel… wonderful as well.”

“Good. I’m going to head downstairs, do a bit of gym work, then grab some breakfast. Take your time today as from tomorrow it’s going to be all hands on deck.”

Though it was a transit day, the ship was a hive of activity all day. The only two people who knew of my own misgivings about this operation were Miranda and Kelly. With everyone else, I exuded my usual confidence that we were finally on the front foot against the Collectors and we might finally strike a hammer blow against them. Kelly believed me completely about it all being a trap. The closer she was to me, the more she doubted everything else about the organisation. Miranda still wanted to believe in the cause but I could see she was also starting to doubt. In regards to the Collector ship, she knew it was a trap, but couldn’t be sure if it was by the Collectors or the Illusive Man. She thought the worst thought was that it was both of them, working in conjunction without realising it.

I spoke with every member of my ground crew, notifying them that they would be joining. I didn’t see the point in leaving anyone back on the ship. If I had the numbers, and the talent they all had, then I was going to use them. The only person I might be tempted would be Miranda, simply because she could run the ship while I was gone. But Miranda had talent to burn, so it would be left to Joker to keep the ship safe while the rest of us left.

Speaking with Joker before dinner, he showed me our location compared to our destination. “Tomorrow morning, Commander. Maybe 0700 ship time. Early night tonight and breakfast tomorrow is probably on the cards.”

“Noted. The ship will be in your capable hands while we’re gone, Joker.”

“Chances of it all going tits up?”

“Let’s just play it by ear. Get on the ship, grab what we need, and get off.”

Dinner was a little quieter than normal later that evening. Despite projecting confidence, everyone knew what was at stake. The _Normandy_ was puny compared to a Collector ship. Those of us who had seen it on Horizon still wondered how a turian patrol had disabled it. That was the one thing that suggested I wasn’t being told the whole truth. But the simple fact was that we had to board the vessel to investigate and find out what the Collectors were intending with all the humans they’d taken.

Kelly tried to remain calm in the face of what was going on, but by the time we went to bed that evening, she simply needed to be held tightly against me as we talked quietly in the darkness. So I told her about my victories, particularly those against Saren and his minions. I’d taken down the Thorian. I’d defeated Benezia, converting her to an ally. I’d blown up Virmire, though had sacrificed to achieve it. I’d taken down both Saren and Sovereign. And I added my victories since waking up. The Collectors didn’t scare me in the end. I knew we would win.

I liked to think I made her feel better before she drifted off to sleep.

EDI woke me the next morning, letting me know the _Normandy_ was approaching the final jump. Kelly woke up with me, heading straight to the shower before we dressed. Just before we walked out of the cabin, I held her close, kissing her, and assured her I would be absolutely fine. “I always worry about you, Shepard. But it feels different this time,” she said, resting her head against my chest.

“I know. But I had to be honest with you.”

“I know. And I’m glad you were. But knowing it could all go wrong, despite the precautions and the fact I know how good you are at your job…”

Heading downstairs, everyone was up and already eating. I was just about to clear my tray when Joker announced we were within sight of the ship. Without a word, everyone started to get ready as I headed upstairs to grab my armour and weapons. Still found that annoying, and I was also considering taking the ship once I ended my time with Cerberus. The first thing I would do was move the armoury to where it should be.

Boarding the shuttle, I closed the door and remained standing as always as I felt the thrusters kick in, watching one of the vidscreens. I looked around, meeting the faces of each member of my team. They were determined and confident. They were smart. They probably knew it was a trap like I did, but if we all thought that, then was a chance we’d get away. The shuttle ride didn’t take long, EDI taking readings of the ship, letting us know that it was as the Illusive Man had told us. All systems offline. No signs of life on board the vessel. So the shuttle pilot headed for an entrance point.

Touching down, I opened the door, took the shotgun from my back, made sure my helmet was secured, then move on. The entire team filtered out behind me, taking positions as we started to wander in. The design was like nothing I’d ever seen, completely alien to all of us. And certainly nothing like the geth.

_"Shepard, I have some information you may be interested in."_

“I’m all ears, EDI. What have you got?”

“_I believe the current ship you are on is the same vessel you encountered on Horizon."_

“While interesting, I don’t believe the shots we fired at it could have disabled it to such an extent. And I doubt it was left as sitting duck to be taken out by this phantom turian patrol.”

Board any Alliance, turian or asari craft, and most corridors are straight up and down the ship, port to starboard across. The Collector vessel was nothing like that whatsoever, further evidence it was an elaborate trap. I tried not to tense up, keeping my finger off the trigger off my shotgun, trying to walk as casually as possible. But I could sense the tension from the others at the same time, no doubt all of them thinking like me.

What I didn’t expect to find first was a pile of bodies. Clearly colonists. Whether they were from Horizon or elsewhere, we simply didn’t know. They’d been dead for some time, left almost as if to mock us. We didn’t approach too close as there was no chance any of them lived, blank lifeless eyes staring up at us. Add that to the empty pods around us, and I could only wonder what the intention of the Collectors was. Were they performing experiments? Had these humans not been suitable? Or had they experimented and they were rejected? Too many questions, no answers at all.

And where the hell were the Collectors? Did they abandon ship? I found that doubtful. There were few suggestions on the surface of the ship that it had been fired on.

It was difficult not to be disheartened by the rows of empty pods and the piles of bodies we found. All it did was fuel my fury, though. I let myself get angry, they tempered it to ensure I wouldn’t make a mistake. But the Collectors were no doubt leaving the piles as an example, proving they were better, more powerful, smarter. But they were also agents of the Reapers. Nothing but minions taking orders from dark space. And I’d already killed one Reaper and their agent in Saren. If I had to kill every single Collector so be it.

We must have been walking for a good hour before we found something that did leave us scratching our heads. Pods that were not empty, but not filled with the body of a human, but by the body of a Collector. Mordin stepped forward and checked before suggesting EDI also perform a diagnosis. Waiting for the AI to figure it out, I noticed others take watch, making sure we were not taken out bya surprise attack.

"_Shepard?"_

"Report, EDI."

"_The Collectors were comparing genetic data between their species and humanity."_

"Why the hell are they doing that? For what purpose?"

"_I cannot speculate regarding Collector intentions. However, my analysis has revealed something… remarkable."_

"Baited breath is being held here, EDI.”

"_From the Collector nearby, I have found a genetic strand of which only one race is known to have contained this structure. The Protheans."_

“Fucking hell?” I paused before adding, “Liara would be rather disappointed to hear considering her decades of research. Turned into nothing but mindless husks.”

"_Their genetic structure has been changed considerably. Analysis would suggest this would have been carried out by the Reapers to make them more amenable to their desires. The Collector you currently see in front of you would no longer be considered Prothean."_

“So they’re like the husks that were once human?”

_“Correct. The Reapers no doubt perform changes at the base level of DNA, changing organics to suit their desires.”_

We moved on. Having spent a lot of time talking to Liara about the Protheans, to hear that this was their fate was somewhat saddening. They’d fought the Reapers for what had been centuries. They’d lost, of course, but they’d gone down swinging until the last man. It seemed this may have been the Reapers revenge for the blood spilled in a galaxy defining war.

More pods contained bodies, these no being humans. Mordin ran his omni-tool over a few, but there was no sign of life. We didn’t even both asking EDI to check as it would have been a waste of time. EDI did suggest that, when the power was switched off, life support systems would have switched off as well. Either way, it was a horrible way to die. But it was the next revelation from Joker did bring all of us to a halt.

_“Commander, I do believe this vessel is the same one that was the responsible for the destruction of the Normandy.”_

“Okay, they’re making this rather personal now. Are you sure, Joker?”

_“I asked EDI to double check. But EMI signatures match exactly. Trust me, I have that ingrained on my memory. The ship you're on… killed you two years ago and blew up my ship."_

“Fuck!” Jack exclaimed. She wasn’t the only one to voice surprise at such a revelation. None of us on the old _Normandy_ had got a look at the ship that had fired upon us. By the time the ship exploded, the Collector vessel had disappeared. But now it all seemed to make sense. The Reapers must have sent them out hunting for me as soon as Sovereign failed.

“I bet the Illusive Man damned well knows too,” I growled, “That fucker. He knows, and why we are here is now starting to make sense.” I glanced at Miranda. She met my eyes and nodded, no doubt believing my words completely.

“_Watch your back, Commander. Nothing about this is right.”_

Continuing on, we eventually entered what seemed to be the heart of the ship. It was an enormous cabin, empty pods rising to the roof high above us. There must have been millions of them. More than enough to… I came to a stop again, Thane almost bumping into me, as we all looked up. It was easy what their plan is. They were going to hit Earth. There were billions there. There were at least another billion or so living around the colony worlds.

“We’re being harvested,” I muttered, “We’re the target. Humanity stopped the Reapers in their tracks. And this is proof they have taken it personally. A human stopped them, so they’re sending their agents to target humanity first. Take us out of the equation, then focus on the Reapers finding a back door into the galaxy.”

EDI directed us to a central node where she believed we could link the _Normandy_ and gain what we needed. Tali and Miranda, being the main tech wizards, got to work establishing a link. Knowing our luck, we’d end up opening a portal to dark space, the Reapers flooding through to start what they might have done over two years ago. Once the link was established, all they could do was wait. Most of the crew spread out, standing guard, watching for anything. The tension was thick. The silence was deafening. And I just kept thinking it was a trap.

When the ship shuddered, I wasn’t the only one to curse as I was nearly knocked onto my arse. “What the fuck was that?” I shouted.

"_Major power surge, Commander_,” Joker reported,_ “Everything went dark but… Yeah, we're all good now."_

"Is EDI okay?"

"_As I assured you, Shepard, all precautions were taken once the link was established. I diverted the majority of the overload to non-critical systems."_

"Status report?"

"_The Normandy is fine, Commander. But… You're not going to like this,"_ Joker replied.

EDI was silent for a moment. "_Shepard, it was not a malfunction. It was a trap._"

All she did was confirm what we already knew, but it was still a kick in the guts. Not to me, I’d expected it. Miranda was definitely not happy. Jack had a few choice words and ideas in regards to the Illusive Man. Garrus complained about a guy just trying to catch a break.

The ship shuddered again, and I knew it was coming alive. EDI was still linked, reporting she was trying to fight off the Collectors, so for the moment, we were on our own. We couldn’t head back the way we’d come when Collectors appeared. The only way out was to head the other way and hope for the best.

“Kill anything that’s not us,” I ordered, and we got to work. I charged immediately for the nearest Collector. Grunt was soon blasting away. Those with biotic talents linked up. Tali had her shotgun out as well, though had to be more circumspect than myself. Kasumi and Thane were fast and nearly invisible at times. Zaeed and Garrus had rifles out, firing in short bursts.

The Collectors had come prepared this time. Many of them had biotic barriers we had to take down first. They sent their bigger colleagues, particularly those big one’s we’d agreed on calling a Scion. They were bastards to take down, requiring numerous biotic attacks before we could fill it with bullets. As for myself, I charged, fired, charged, fired, until I simply had to stop and take a breather. Miranda called over the comm, telling me to cool down every so often, otherwise I would drop dead from overworking myself. Whether that was actually true or not, I’m not sure. I think she was just saying to be sensible.

When the glowing Collector arrived, I was now of the belief that it had to be the voice of the Reapers themselves. No idea which one, or if they had names like Sovereign did, but as the Collectors were minions, likely with little functional brain capacity, I had a feeling the Reapers were more than capable of using them to communicate.

We found ourselves bogged down more than once, despite our numbers. They were almost like geth. The more of them around, the smarter they were. Wipe a few of them out, and they become desperate. It was hard work, and after needing to take a break a second time, I stored my shotgun and took out my rifle, linking up with Zaeed and Garrus, the three of us covering each other, waiting for the biotics to lift and pull Collectors out of cover.

As we fought, EDI reported that she’d managed to fight off the Collectors and that she now had full control of the _Normandy_. While that was good news, we were still stuck on the Collector ship. But that meant she had what we needed, and report something else we already knew.

"_Shepard, the turian distress call was faked. The Collectors were the source of the distress call."_

“Tell me something I don’t know, EDI.”

I think she took that literally. “_Turians use a unique encryption code in any of their messages. This code is corrupted. Therefore, the Illusive Man would have known this distress call was not genuine."_

I looked at Miranda again. Her face told me everything. She was feeling betrayed herself. “Are you sure, EDI?” she asked for clarification.

"_The anomalies are in the very codes he wrote, Miranda.”_

Before we could discuss anything else, nor think about our next plan to move, Joker’s rather worried voice then came over the comm. “_Uh, Commander. We've got a little problem here."_

“I’m guessing not good news, Joker,” I couldn’t help mutter.

"_The ship… It's… uh, powering up!"_

“Oh, well, isn’t that delightful. Okay team, saddle up. Things are about to get spicy. EDI, have the shuttle meet at a possible extraction zone. You will need to direct us as the Collectors are here in force.”

I have no idea how long we fought from the central chamber to the extraction zone. It must have been hours. By the time we made it to the waiting shuttle, we were all exhausted. The only people without wounds were Jack, Tali and Samara. We’d killed an endless number of Collectors and their monsters. Even husks were sent towards us, so that told us that some of the colonists had been taken for a specific reason, another sign, if any was needed, of Reaper influence.

Most of us fought with anger in our blood, furious at the deception that had taken place. I’d been aware, of course, and I guess I could also be partially to blame. Miranda had been aware of my thoughts, of course, but I’m sure, somewhere deep down, she had hoped I was wrong, and that we were not as expendable as it now seemed. I simply didn’t understand. The Illusive Man knew the Collectors were a threat yet sent us into a trap? If we were wiped out, what was his grand plan then? I could see the reason for getting the information, but I believed, with a little more thought, there would have been a better way.

There was more than once occasion where we really should have lost someone. We passed through what looked like a killing field, and it was here that the Collectors poured everything against us. I had my shotgun out against by now, zipping around the battlefield when I could. Jack and Miranda were exhausting themselves at the attacks they were firing. Even Samara, as strong and as experienced as she was, felt the strain. Zaeed was now firing with one arm, taking a bullet in his left shoulder, medi-gel applied but he needed a doctor. Garrus took a bullet in the leg, and while he could fire while crouching, Thane helped him walk on. Miranda bled from a wound on her face, joking she’d now have a killer scar. Grunt simply ended up covered in blood, some of his, mostly Collector, but he looked horrifying when he grinned, blood on his face with his white teeth.

The last few minutes before we made it to the shuttle were the craziest of all. EDI was opening and closing a series of doors to lead us in the right direction. Collectors flooded in the opposite direction to stop us. By now, there was little cover, so we simply fired each other as we moved forward. Some of the fighting even turned into hand to hand. I almost felt like suggesting that we should just fix bayonets, not that we had any, and just stab the fuckers.

Making it to the extraction zone, we could see the shuttle approaching in the distance. I ordered the injured to the back, managed to find partial cover, and opened fire on the approaching Collectors. “Jack, Garrus, Grunt, with me. The rest of you, take cover, and wait for extraction.”

Jack flung biotics against the flood. Grunt wanted to charge but I ordered him to hold and blast away. Garrus had the scope to his eye, methodical as always. The bodies piled up. I was reminded of zombie movies, where they would just keep coming, no matter what you threw at them.

“Shuttle’s here!” Miranda called.

“Grunt, go! Your shotgun is ineffective at range.” I waited until he stepped onto the shuttle. “Jack, you next. Get your arse moving!” No argument for once, she simply back away, still flinging warps. I waited until I ordered Garrus back too. “I’ll come after five seconds. Go.”

Once I knew he was moving, I moved out of cover, short bursts at any Collector that came into my sights. Just before I stepped onto the shuttle, I summoned every little bit of knowhow and flung a shockwave towards them, the sort Jack would have been proud of. That gave me time to step onto the shuttle, feeling it begin to take off as I was shutting the door.

"_You guys had better haul ass. You have thirty seconds until those assholes have that ship up and running. And I am not losing this fucking ship!" _Joker shouted over the comm.

“Joker, as soon as we touch down, you get the Normandy moving. I don’t give a fuck where we end up!”

Striding forward, I could see the _Normandy_ in the distance, the hangar bay door already open, ready to accept us. I ordered the shuttle pilot to simply dump the shuttle on deck, we’d worry about moving in later. It seemed to take forever, Joker counting down over the comm how long until the Collector ship was powered up. As soon as it was, I had no doubt it would cut through our ship like tissue paper.

As soon as the shuttle crunched down, I yelled at Joker to get us the fuck out of there.

"_Get us the fuck out of here, EDI. I don't give a shit where. Batarian space for all I care!"_

"_Very well, Mr. Moreau. Engaging mass effect core."_

Though the _Normandy_ took off, it wouldn’t knock anyone on their arse within the ship. You’d feel the acceleration but, unlike the old _Normandy_, you didn’t always need to hold onto something. Acceleration, deceleration and turning were all far smoother, despite the fact the new ship was considerably larger.

We all headed straight to the mess, a line forming outside the med-bay. Those who had been shot were seen to first, Chakwas going so far as to recruit Miranda to help her. There were no life threatening injuries, but best to get my people treated as quickly as possible. I grabbed a drink from the fridge and sat down, relieved that we’d all survived, utterly pissed off at the revelations learned during the mission.

Kelly appeared and practically jumped on my lap, admitting she’d listened from the moment I’d left on the shuttle. I certainly didn’t mind, and enjoyed the affection as she sat on my lap. Slowly but surely, I was joined by the others, sitting quietly with our thoughts as we drank water, energy drinks and munched on energy bars. Those of us with biotics would spend the rest of the day refuelling. I packed away many more calories than before yet hadn’t put in a gram of fat, only muscle from the work I did in the gym.

“Miranda, can you send a message to the Illusive Man please?”

“You want to talk to him.”

It wasn’t a question but a statement of fact. She stood up and strode to her office. Everyone could see she was as unhappy as I was. No-one was happy about what we’d learned, about what was happening to humans, but also about the fact the Illusive Man willingly sent us into a trap. Miranda walked out and told me he would be connecting within a couple of minutes. I ordered everyone to stay put, but when she followed me, I couldn’t say no. I don’t know if she was going to say anything or simply observe.

The rest of the crew in the CIC was happy to see me at least, which is always nice, though I set my face to ‘furious’ when standing in my usual place, waiting for the Illusive Man to connect. When he appeared, he knew he had to get the first word in, lest I really let rip again. “Looks like EDI extracted some interesting data before the Collector ship came back online.”

“Do you really think I’m completely thick or something? I didn’t get to where I am by being stupid. I knew during our original conversation that something didn’t sit right. Turian patrol disabling a Collector ship? No, it didn’t sit right at all. But I went along with it, because it was a golden chance. But EDI told us everything we needed to know. I knew you’d stick the knife in eventually.”

He simply took a drag on his cigarette, glaring at me before replying. “We’re a war, Shepard.”

“Don’t even think about starting to preach with me. War is all I’ve known since before I even joined the Alliance.”

“While that might be so, the Collectors are taking humans, and every minute we waste is one more we give the enemy to prepare.”

“You think I’d don’t know that? I’ve fought a Reaper, faced it down, and I defeated it. I know what’s at stake and I know what the cost might be. But that is my decision. I am the one who chooses to put my team in harm’s way, not you. Your only use to me is information, and if I can’t trust the information you’re giving me, then what’s the fucking point of all this?”

He paused for a moment, actually considering his words. A first. “Without the information you retrieved, Shepard, we don’t reach the Collector homeworld. And you and every other human may as well be dead. Yes, it was a trap…” Oh, I was about to unleash both barrels, but he held up his hand. “Let me finish. Yes, it was a trap, but I was confident in your abilities, and those of your team, considering I was the one who gave you the dossiers. And in all this, don’t forget EDI. The Collector’s couldn’t have anticipated her.”

I couldn’t help sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. It was just endless bullshit, but I knew I couldn’t do this alone. But I also couldn’t trust him. Rock, meet hard place. “Look, I see some sense in that, but if you would actually just level with me, there is always another way to do thing. You lying to me isn’t going to make this a harmonious relationship. You spend billions bringing me back, give me everything I could hope for when it comes to achieving victory, yet you send me into a trap, almost as if you want me killed.”

“Fair point, Shepard. So I’ll level with you now. I needed the Collectors to believe they had the upper hand. Telling you could have tipped them off in any number of ways. Besides, I wouldn’t have sent you in if I didn’t think you could succeed.” I’ll admit, there was the foundation of a solid argument. Many soldiers were sent in to fight without knowing the facts. But I was in command of the mission, and since he was my direct superior, so to speak, I should at least be privy to most details. He added, “Shepard, you know as we as I do that these are sometimes the decisions that need to be made. And, more importantly for all of us, it paid off.”

“Okay, let’s move on. What did EDI find for us?”

“The Reaper and Collector ships use an advanced Identify Friend/Foe system that the relays recognise. All we need to do is get our hands on one of those IFFs.”

“Where do we get one of those?”

“I already have my best people looking into that for you, Shepard. As soon as I receive word, be sure that I will let you know. In the meantime, I suggest you tell your crew I didn’t risk their lives unnecessarily. It will make things easier going forward.”

He cut the link as the lights of the conference room blinked on. I turned to Miranda, who had been standing in the corner, simply watching and listening. “We’re pawns,” she finally said, “Nothing but pawns. He is going to sacrifice every single one of us, Shepard. I know it. We are expendable in the face of his ambitions.”

“What’s his ambition?”

“Power. But I’m not sure how defeating the Collectors allows him to attain more. Not yet, anyway. I’ve always thought him rather megalomaniacal, but there was always the brilliant genius side to him that helped you ignore that part of his personality.” She slumped against the wall. “God, I’ve seen it almost since the first day we met, but because of what he did for me, it’s almost like I’ve subconsciously ignored it.”

I walked towards her, stopping near her, reaching down to take her hand. “So what will you do?” I asked.

“I honestly don’t know, Shepard. I still believe we’re doing the right thing here. And there are parts of Cerberus that are working for our benefit. But after what you’ve told me, then what we did to Jack… I’ve even heard Tali mention an incident within the Migrant Fleet that apparently we were behind.”

Gently pulling her towards me, I gave her a hug, which she seemed to appreciate at least. “Just keep me updated with what you want to do. If you want to make some of great leap, I’ll make sure I provide a safety net.”

Heading back downstairs, some of the team had returned to their quarters. Joker asked where we should head and I said Illium. After what we’d all just been through, I figured a couple of days’ shore leave would be perfect for everyone. That meant I immediately headed upstairs to send a secure message to Liara, letting her know I would be arriving in a couple of days. I received a message back within an hour and she was rather excited to hear, and that she would put in place some plans for me when we arrived. I had a feeling I knew what plans, but just told her I looked forward to arriving.

After dinner that evening, I headed straight upstairs as I wasn’t the only one exhausted after the day we had. Miranda barely made it to dinner, almost falling asleep in her chair, before she finally just picked up her tray, telling me she’d eat at her desk, but have a pillow nearby in case she crashed. Jack didn’t even make it to dinner, while Samara, as powerful and athletic as she was, looked as tired as I did. Everyone felt the strain, so it was no surprise the mess was empty of life far earlier than normal.

A hot shower is normally invigorating, particularly when it’s a shower shared with a certain Kelly Chambers, but though she could coax life into certain parts of my body, I simply didn’t have the energy. Just the thought of having an orgasm made me exhaustion feel worse, so she simply led me by the hand to bed, curling her body into mine and I barely remember her kissing me goodnight before I’d fallen asleep.

Still exhausted the next morning, I simply squeezed the naked body lying next to me, hearing her giggle as she was already awake. Neither of us even thought about moving as I was rather comfortable, as was Kelly.

“EDI?”

“_Yes, Shepard?”_

“Tell my ground team that they are not expected to do anything today. If they’re as exhausted as me, then I doubt they’ll want to leave their quarters.”

_“I’ll pass the message on, Shepard._”

“Another day off?” Kelly whispered, “Some would think you’re getting soft.”

“Considering we all came out of that alive, they blood well deserve it.”

In the end, the only reason we got out of bed was that we were hungry. Heading downstairs, neither of us bothering to dress in anything close to resembling uniform, it wasn’t a shock that the mess was practically empty. Garrus seemed in decent enough spirits as he wandered down to grab himself a drink, keeping himself busy by calibrating as usual. Other than that, we saw no sign of anyone. Kelly suggested she would try and do a little work, leaving me in the mess alone, so I figured I’d pop into see Miranda. No surprise she was up and working, though as soon as I entered, she stood up, grabbed me, and dragged me to bed. To my surprise, all she wanted was a cuddle, burying her head into my chest. It was rather nice, and we lay there for at least an hour or so, quietly discussing a number of topics I knew were on her mind.

I spent the rest of the day wandering around the ship, chatting with everyone, making sure they were in the right frame of mind after the previous day. I didn’t need to tell them about my conversation with the Illusive Man the previous day, they all knew the truth, but they trusted me to keep them alive, so they were willing to look past it. The mission was the most important thing.

Heading downstairs to see Jack last of all, she now had a larger, wider bed, far more comfortable than the cot she’d been sleeping on. She looked fast asleep, though opened her eyes upon seeing me. She pulled back the sheets, and I found myself kicking off my shoes again and cuddling into someone else. Jack did turn around and kissed me, likely in an attempt to get something intimate started, and while I liked the idea of a little kiss and cuddle, I didn’t want to go any further. She understood and appreciated the fact I was happy just to give her some comfort. After everything, she quietly admitted that it was just another betrayal by Cerberus, though this time, it also impacted certain people she gave a shit about.

Joker informed me after dinner that we’d arrive on Illium the next day, which was a relief. We’d been on the go for a while, or at least stuck on the ship, so getting off just for a day or two would be a relief. Miranda suggested that the ship would be basically evacuated, locked up tight, and the entire crew would be treated to accommodation. Sounded good to me as I wasn’t the one footing the bill.

Sitting back with a datapad on the couch in the cabin later, the recruiting phase of the mission was definitely complete. Now was… I wasn’t sure. I had a feeling people would want to tie off certain things before we went through the Omega Four, such as Garrus wanting to track down the man who betrayed him, and Samara tracking down the fugitive she had been chasing on Illium. Both were keeping me informed of their progress.

Kelly wandered in, having been chatting away with some of the girls. She seemed to be in a good move as she walked towards me, standing before me as I moved my eyes from the datapad to her. “You have something on your mind,” I stated.

“I do, Shepard. Would you like to join me in bed?”

I couldn’t help laugh before I stood up and gave her a gentle kiss. “Yes, I would. Are you planning something?”

“I am, Shepard. Just for the two of us.”

“Oh, and what would that be?”

“Well, first of all I will need to be naked. I think you can help with that.” So I slowly started to undress her as she added, “Then you will need to be naked as well.”

“Shocking, Kelly. What happens once we’re both naked?”

“Well, I’m hoping there’ll be a lot of kissing. Maybe some touching too. Perhaps you could run your hands all over my body?”

“Oh, I guess I can do that. Is that all you’d like?”

“No, Shepard. Next, I’m going to use my mouth on you, particularly by sucking on your cock. While I’m doing that, I’m hoping you’ll use your mouth on my pussy. How does that sound?”

“Fantastic. Something to look forward to. But surely that’s not all, Kelly?”

“Oh, definitely not, Shepard. After that, I’m hoping we’ll make love.” I couldn’t help grin as I leaned down to kiss her again as she was down to underwear by now. “Maybe we could do that for a little while, at least.”

“It’s an offer I simply cannot refuse, Miss Chambers, particularly as you have explained it all so well.”

“A girl has to let her man know what she wants.”

We ended up on the bed a couple of minutes later, and everything Kelly described happened over the next couple of hours. I think she knew that, once I was on Illium, I would be distracted, so wanted my attention and affection for as long as possible until we arrived. I honestly didn’t blame her one bit, though she knew, if things got heated enough with certain people, she was going to be invited anyway. But I certainly sent her to sleep later than night with a big smile on her face, as exhausted as I was the night before, and again suggesting she was going to be feeling a little tender between her legs the next day. She’d loved every second though.

I had a feeling I might be enjoying a long couple of days on Illium.


	36. Love Squared

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’ll be honest, this is the smuttiest chapter of the story so far, as it’s linking the previous chapter with the first DLC I want to cover, and I wanted Shepard on Illium to have some fun with his main lovers. It wasn’t what I planned originally, but once I started writing, I guess I got a little carried away at the content, and couldn’t stop myself until the end.

Joker and I were the last to leave the _Normandy_, the crew slowly but surely starting to leave the ship. Joker had complained, stating he felt he was being forced off, but I got him a pair of crutches, and more than one of the crew stated they would happily have him hang around. That certainly surprised him and he eventually relented, accepting the invitation to join them later. I just told him it would do him some good to get fresh air for a change.

So I was last off the ship, leaving only the emergency systems running, EDI still on and she would monitor the important things, sending me any messages of vital importance, otherwise the ship would be locked up tight until we boarded again and left for the next mission. I’d already messaged Liara, and told her that I would be visiting someone else first. She knew who immediately, stating she would meet me the next day, and to just let her know when I would be heading to her office.

I remembered the way, at least, so strolled along, once again marvelling at how advanced everything on Illium seemed to be. Having spent most of my time around the Terminus Systems, or at least Omega, no wonder, I guess. The building I was looking for came into view, heading to the right level, walking through the glass door into a reception area. There was a lone receptionist behind a desk, an asari who looked up and grinned. “How may I help you?”

“I’m here to see Gianna.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“No. If you just tell her Shepard…”

“Oh, she told me about you. Just head right in, Shepard.”

Thanking her, I walked down the corridor, a door left or right leading into other offices, the frosted glass door ahead stating ‘Gianna Parasini, Private Investigator’ with a bunch of letters after that. Guess she had a number of licences to operate around the galaxy. I knocked and opened the door. She looked up and returned my immediate grin. It was like one of the movie scenes, practically leaping over the desk before she leapt into my arms, her lips immediately on mine. It just felt really good to see her again. We kissed for a long time before I placed her feet back on the ground. “I had no idea…”

“Surprise!” I said softly.

“Best one ever. But what are you doing here?”

“I have a couple of days off, so while I was here, I had to stop by and say hello.”

“I would hope for a little more than just hello, Shepard.”

“Of course. Are you busy?”

“Not anymore.”

I couldn’t help chuckle at her tone. “Have you eaten yet?” She shook her head so that was the first thing sorted. We’d go grab some lunch. I didn’t really know where to go so after she grabbed her jacket, she took my hand and hailed a cab. I wasn’t expecting anything fancy, and we ended up heading into a building that was full of eateries, restaurants and take-out joints, with plenty of options, depending on what you wanted, whether it be based on species origin or dietary requirements.

“I don’t know about you, Shepard, but I can always murder a good burger. Thankfully, one or two humans have opened up little places on Illium catering to our needs.”

We ended up ordering burgers, fries and a beer each from a take-out joint, finding a small table to sit together. I’d learned long ago that Gianna was someone who loved her food, and had no problem taking enormous bites of whatever she was eating. Better than someone who’d just pick at a salad, feeling embarrassed because she was hungry. Annie had always proven to have a bigger appetite than me. Still don’t know where she put it all either.

As we ate, she asked questions of what I’d been up to. I asked if she’d heard news of the Collectors, and apparently networks were now starting to report more of the attacks and abductions, so I went into further details, explaining everything since Freedom’s Progress. I told her about some of the recruitment missions and one or two other missions. Apparently the death of Donovan Hock had been reported. She was rather amused though didn’t admit too much surprise I’d been involved. I told her about the people I’d recruited and also those I was working alongside. Then she asked the question I did fear.

“Are you intimate with anyone on the ship?”

I never lied to Kelly. And I had never lied to Gianna. “Yes. Kelly is with me in our cabin.”

Immediate interest, though I guess she simply wondered what Kelly was like. “Anyone else?”

“Yes, but nothing serious. You know, just the occasional… you know…” I trailed off, though she just chuckled.

“Shepard, I know, remember?” She took a sip of beer before asking, “This Kelly, it’s serious then?”

“Yes. At least as serious as I am about you. The only difference is… she’s with me all the time. I know we message constantly but…”

“It’s hard for both of us, Shepard. All we can do is appreciate the times we can be together. So, after this, I’m taking you back to my apartment.” I raised my eyebrows and couldn’t help smirk. “It’s been a few weeks since I last saw you, Shepard. So we’re going back to my apartment for a few hours. Then you can treat me to dinner for being such an understanding girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend?”

“You said you loved me, Shepard. So I think I’ve been upgraded to girlfriend from lover.”

I agreed to dinner, then had a further idea which I wasn’t sure she would agree to. “Why don’t I invite a couple of others? Those who are important to me as well…”

“I won’t find it awkward if you won’t, Shepard. I’d like to meet these other women who have apparently captured your heart.”

“You would?”

“Of course. If you’ve chosen them, Shepard, they must be special. I… did some research while you were gone. I may have spoken to one or two of them. Liara, of course. But I also spoke with Emily.”

“You did?”

“Just a few times in the first few months after you disappeared. I like to think we helped each other. Have you seen her since?”

“Only the once as going to and from the Citadel is difficult. Council basically warned me off going there too often.”

I sent a message to a few people about organising dinner. I received one from Liara immediately, stating she would organise reservations for us. Nothing too fancy but it would ensure privacy and intimacy. Not _that_ sort of intimacy, just that we could talk quietly, enjoy some good food, and chat about anything we wanted without eavesdropping.

After finishing our meal and beer, Gianna and I walked around hand in hand, letting the food settle before we headed back to apartment. Once inside, she leapt on me again, carrying her to the bedroom, where clothing was removed with urgency before I had her back on the bed, legs spread with my face between them, making her moan loudly within a couple of minutes. The fact she was already wet by the time I had her down to her underwear suggested she was already rather turned on. When I mentioned that, she simply laughed as I stopped for a moment. “Shepard, I was ready to just throw you on my desk the moment you walked into my office. God, just feeling your arm wrap around me as we walk gets me excited.”

I took that a signal to slow down what I was doing as she propped herself up on her elbows to watch me eat her out, looking up into her eyes constantly as I did. Teasing her a little, I then chose to kiss up over her flat stomach before focusing on her breasts for a little while, up and over her collarbone before her neck and eventually her lips. “Are you going to finish what you started?” she breathed.

“Of course, but there’s more enjoyment to be had, Gianna. We don’t need to rush.”

She lay back and enjoyed it as I did eventually end up back between her legs. Eating her out, I was rock hard myself, letting her know how excited I was just by eating her out. She thought that was a turn on and also rather sweet. When she did enjoy her first orgasm, I had to hold her legs wide as I kept going until she finally asked me to stop, admitting that she was feeling a little more sensitive than usual. That just gave me an excuse to kiss back up her body again before I lying beside her, running my fingers up and down her body, avoiding the more sensitive parts. She met my eyes, and she just seemed… happy.

We made love a few minutes later. It didn’t last long at all. I’m not embarrassed to admit that. I was far too excited to be with her again, and once she had her legs locked around me, it was always going to end quickly. When I looked up, slight embarrassed, she kissed the tip of my nose smiled. “Trust me, I take that as a compliment that you are quite excited to see me, Shepard,” she said softly.

“Fifteen minutes then it’ll be better…”

She shut me up with another kiss. “We’re being intimate, Shepard. Trust me, it’s perfect.”

Around fifteen minutes later, I had the pleasure of Gianna slowly beginning to ride me, a constant smile on her face, flinging her hair back every so often so she could meet my eyes, my hands gently caressing her body. It was definitely one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen. Her body was exquisite, needing to sit up every so often just kiss a part of it, then kiss her, feeling and hearing her moan and gasp before I lay back down. Only when she leaned forward herself did she require actual movement from me, making her squeal and giggle when I’d give her the occasional thrust.

The second time definitely lasted much longer. Gianna had a lot of fun, but after a couple of orgasms, she was starting to feel tired herself, so she gave me the great pleasure of hopping off but getting onto her hands and knees. While I always enjoyed that, I preferred it when she was resting back against me so I could continue running my hands over her body, plus it allowed me access to her back, shoulders, neck, cheeks and also to whisper dirty things into her ear.

Plus, I could also gently fondle her clit, giving her another orgasm, which left her begging for me to finish so we could stop.

Cuddling into me later, we fell asleep for at least an hour, waking up just as light outside was starting to fade. After enjoying a shower together, again making her laugh constantly as I tickled her in between all the kissing and cuddling, we dressed and I contacted everyone, confirming whether they would be joining us for dinner. After receiving affirmative responses, Gianna turned heads as we walked outside together, dressed in a lovely little black dress, that left her shoulders exposed, a hint of cleavage, and ended at her knees. She wore a necklace with a pendant that sank into said cleavage, a pair of black heels and stockings that were definitely meant to grab my attention. She’d done her hair and only the faintest of make-up was applied.

Kelly was waiting outside for us to arrive, in a dress of a similar design, to be honest. I made introductions, thinking it was going to be awkward, but they were immediately friendly with each other. Liara and Shiala arrived no more than five minutes later, both looking radiant, Liara in a purple gown, or that’s what I called it anyone, and Shiala wearing a blue one, though hers was shorter and definitely tighter. After more introductions, I suggested we head inside.

It was a small, cosy restaurant, tables spaced out for privacy, and we ended up in one of the few booths, myself in the middle, Gianna and Liara to one side, Kelly and Shiala to the other. We ordered drinks immediately, scanned the menu’s and, after ordering food that we could all share, I sat back and listened as the girls talked between themselves. Of course, it wasn’t going to take forever before a question or two was aimed at me.

“Did you have fun with Gianna this afternoon?” Kelly asked.

Before I could reply, Gianna grabbed my hand and kissed my cheek. “We had a wonderful afternoon, Kelly. Have to make the most of our brief time together. You do get the treat of having him more often.”

“We would love to visit here more often. Illium is beautiful. But… you know, Collectors and things…”

“Oh, I understand. Shepard met me on Noveria, after all. We had a brief but passionate romance before he had to go off chasing Saren again. But we managed to meet up again once he had saved us all from annihilation. What was it, Shepard? A week together?” I just nodded. “Kelly, I think we are all very lucky women. And obviously very understanding as well.”

“Has Shepard ever shown… concern?”

“He has, Kelly, but I’ve assured him more than once that I am more than willing to share him with others. I can already see from the women who have joined me tonight that he has excellent taste in partners.”

“Well, I can see why he fell for you,” Shiala stated.

“I will admit, I have not met a green asari before. I believe there is a story?”

“There is, Gianna. Long and involving Shepard, of course. Rest assured I am not ill. In fact, the reason I am green has given me some other benefits.”

“And Liara, I understand you were alongside Shepard during his first mission?”

“I was, Gianna. And I am also one of the reasons why he is back with us. Has he shared much about his return?”

“Bits and pieces when we met the first time. We haven’t really talked much today.” Kelly and Shiala both laughed lightly to themselves. I just took a sip of my drink, trying not to look too smug. “Why Cerberus though?”

“They were the only group who had the science capable of rebuilding him. I will not share what I saw when we first recovered him. Let’s just say it was not the man you see sitting with us now. But, well, there was enough remaining to work with.”

“So,” Kelly said, “I understand that the four of us here have been intimate with him then?” The other three nodded. “And we are all happy enough with that arrangement? None of us are going to make an ultimatum? I know I’m not. And Gianna has just told us she is happy. Shiala, Liara, what about you?”

“I would love to re-join the ship, Kelly, but I owe the people of Feros my continued support. All I can do is try and visit a location wherever Shepard lands, be it here, the Citadel, even Omega if necessary.”

“Liara?”

“Kelly, I will take any moment I can get with him. We’re not the only four, remember. I understand there are a couple of others on the ship…”

“More than a couple,” Kelly said, glancing at me and winking, “I think he’s looking at half a dozen.”

“God, don’t you get tired, Shepard?” Gianna joked.

“Look, I don’t exactly go around from room to room, just… you know, expecting… Kelly is with me nearly every night. I can count on one hand how often I’ve been with anyone else. And some others have indicated interest but nothing has happened.” I then looked at Kelly. “Can I share that night we had with everyone?”

“I’ll share,” she said eagerly, “So it was after one of his missions. I’m not sure how it got started, but we were having one of those all girl’s evenings on the ship. Anyway, Shepard becomes a topic of conversation…”

“Naturally,” Liara interjected with humour.

“And, well, after a few drinks, there were suggestions that we drag him down and have some fun. So I head upstairs and it doesn’t take all that much persuasion to have him follow me. Tali was in the middle of sharing stories of your time on the Normandy…”

“Ah, was she speaking of a certain krogan, or a certain female soldier?” Shiala asked.

“Well, both, to be honest. Everyone learned that night Tali likes to share stories. Anyway, one thing led to another, Shepard ends up naked in a room full of women, I end up blowing him along with Miranda and Jack... then the three of us find ourselves properly fucked by him as well. By the end, I think everyone woman in that room wanted him. Even Samara, and she’s taken a vow of celibacy.”

“I didn’t do that for you earlier,” Gianna whispered.

I just gave her a look. “Um, I don’t mind, Gianna, considering the sex we had was fucking sensational.”

“Shepard is coming to ours tomorrow night, isn’t he?” Shiala asked Liara.

“I assume he still is. Though Gianna and Kelly are more than welcome to join us.”

“Though I would love to, I… I’m not sure I’m interested in others being there. I can share him as in separately, but threesomes or moresomes are not really my thing,” Gianna admitted.

“And we understand completely,” Liara replied, “Kelly?”

“Do you enjoy female company, both of you?”

“Well, Shiala and I have been intimate for some time, Kelly. Since before we lost Shepard.”

“Oh…”

“So if you care to join us tomorrow night, I believe the human saying is ‘the more, the merrier’. Though, I guess we can’t invite everyone from the ship.” Liara then looked at Gianna. “Of course, he is going nowhere except with you after dinner, Gianna. We certainly wouldn’t wish to infringe on the brief time you actually have. Part of me feels guilty about having him to ourselves when his time here is so brief.”

“I may join you tomorrow night, I just won’t get heavily involved in what I think might be happening at times.”

“If you like asari food, Shiala and I are very good cooks.”

“Okay, I’m sold. I love asari food. One of the best things about Illium.”

“Aside from all the asari, of course,” Liara said with humour.

Thankfully, the topics moved on, Kelly and Gianna getting to know each other, and getting to know Liara and Shiala. Somehow, I think by the time we left the restaurant a couple of hours later, they were well on the way to becoming firm friends. I did ask what Kelly was doing that evening, and she had booked herself a hotel room with a view, and admitted, loudly enough, that she would simply head back and masturbate a few times before going to sleep. Shiala had a look on her face, suggesting she wanted to offer her something else, but Liara gave a brief shake of the head, suggesting ‘not tonight’.

Heading off with Gianna, I wrapped an arm around her waist as she hugged into me while we walked. “You have excellent taste, Shepard. I should be here right now, either extremely jealous or… I don’t know, just not here at all. But having talked to them tonight, they’re all just… lovely. I guess we do live in different times, people are more open-minded about things. To be honest, before I met you, I would never have thought about this sort of life.”

“I made you reconsider?”

“Yes and no. Part of me thought I was the one in the wrong because you let it be known I wasn’t the only one. But when I thought about it, you told me the truth, that any woman you were intimate with was aware of everyone else, so it’s not like you lied or kept it a secret. We all agreed knowing the circumstances. Any one of us could have said no.”

Arriving back at her apartment, she led me by the hand to the couch, where she had me stand in front of it, but not sit, her hands immediately going to the belt of my trousers as she kissed me, the sort of kiss that was always going to influence a reaction in my body. Once she had everything undone, I felt my trousers and underwear drop, her soft hand immediately grasping my cock. “That’s what I wanted,” she whispered, before she gently pushed me back onto the couch before she settled onto her knees between my legs.

She licked my cock like a lollipop for quite a while, just teasing me over and over again. I could only watch her, captivated by her tongue running up and down my shaft, teasing the head of my cock over and over. Any time I wanted to touch her, she gently brushed my hand away. “No, my treat for you, Shepard. But no touching for now.”

So I simply got comfortable and let her continue. She eventually started to swallow my cock, inch by slow inch. Just the feeling of her hot breath on it sent shivers up my body. I knew when my climax arrived, it was going to be good. And she definitely knew what she was doing. Soon enough, her head was bobbing up and down, ever so slowly, but what she was doing with her tongue at the same time had me moaning rather loudly. God, she was talented.

When her nose touched me, she did sit back for a moment and smile. “Haven’t done that before,” she said, before she simply carried on. I eventually did run my hand through her hair, which she liked too much, so I was allowed to do that at least, her eyes now looking up into mine constantly as she soon picked up the tempo.

“Fuck,” I practically growled. I did wonder if this was one of the longest blowjobs I’d ever received. I wasn’t timing, but she’d certainly been taking her time, showing such love to me. “Gianna,” I whispered.

She didn’t reply, now intent on making me cum, particularly as I started to gently move up into her mouth. Now her eyes moved, her sole focus on making me cum. I didn’t even bother asking where she wanted it. Her body language, the way her mouth was clamped over my cock, everything told me it was going in her mouth to be swallowed. I grabbed her hair a little tighter, the sign I was closed. She gently grabbed my hand and held it as I warned her one last time before I erupted.

I definitely saw stars as I came. I’m sure I shouted my thanks to god as well, though I didn’t particularly believe in the big guy. She squealed as I emptied myself, hearing her swallow as I’m sure I filled her mouth. I relaxed back into the couch immediately, feeling a grin spread across my face, as I felt her tongue run along my cock for a couple of more minutes before she finally lifted her head to look at me.

“I love you,” I whispered.

“You’re just saying that because I just gave you the best blowjob ever. But I love you too.” She stood up and I watched as she undid the back of her dress, dropping it to reveal no bra, black panties, garter and stocking, while leaving her heels, before she sat on my lap, leaning forward to kiss me. “I take it you enjoyed that, Shepard?”

“You’ve worn me out, Gianna.”

“Fifteen minutes?” she asked, giggling away.

“Oh, I might need longer this time.”

All that didn’t stop us making out, and my mouth certainly found its way to parts of her upper body she certainly enjoyed. She made some delightful little noises as I spent plenty of time focusing on her breasts, suggesting I may have liked them very much. I assured her that I most certainly did. All that certainly helped me rise to attention, Gianna simply moving her panties to the side and sliding down my cock once I was rock hard again.

She rode me slowly to start with, and this time my hands could touch her, and they immediately went to her back, running my fingers up and down, almost tickling her, before I firmly grabbed her arse, giving both cheeks a good squeeze. With a hand on each shoulder, it was obvious she was just as turned on now, as she was soon riding me faster and faster, her mouth hungry for mine, whimpering as she seemed desperate to orgasm herself.

When it arrived, it must have been a good one, as she collapsed against my chest, and she asked me not to stroke her back or anything. I did it once and she almost leapt off my lap, so I just held her as she shuddered occasionally. “So, good as mine then?” I whispered.

“Definitely, but that’s just the first one.”

I didn’t particularly want to stay on the couch any longer, so I easily picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, where I undressed my completely before joining her. The only thing she removed were her panties, leaving everything else on. Damn, Gianna certainly knew what I liked.

We made love the rest of the night, only stopping when I came, and simply needed to recharge, or when we were both so worn out, we needed a break and a drink. Eventually, we just lay side by side, cuddling her into me, as we talked about anything that came to mind. The best thing I heard is that she was definitely enjoying her life on Illium. She knew that made things difficult for us, particularly for when I would eventually leave Cerberus, but we would try and make it work.

“Well, at least three of your four lovers are here, Shepard,” she suggested.

“Hmmm. Good point.”

“Might have to talk with Kelly, see if she’d like to live here too.”

“What, we all end up living together or something?”

“Could you make it work?”

“Could you?”

“Shepard, I’d be living with you permanently. That’s a win for me. And you’d be living with me, and I know you’d love that too.”

“Definitely.”

Waking up the next day, we made love again before having a shower. I messaged Liara, and she suggested we spent the day alone before heading over late afternoon. Gianna agreed to that, and we spent all day relaxing in the bedroom, barely getting out of bed, watching old movies that she enjoyed. They were very old, some of the technology hilariously outdated, such as using oil burning automobiles, and police officers carrying weapons that fired metallic bullets. But Gianna seemed to love them, so we just snuggled and made out like a pair of teenagers, missing half the movie each time.

Eventually getting up and dressing, we headed out into Illium hand in hand, deciding to walk all the way to Liara’s apartment. It was quite the walk, but Gianna was wearing comfortable shoes, dressing for comfort for the evening. She had a fair idea what was going to happen, and admitted that if it got too uncomfortable, she’d call it a night. I more than understood, as she knew that nights like what happened in the lounge of the _Normandy_ were rare, and it generally wasn’t something I was involved in either.

Shiala opened the door upon our arrival, greeting Gianna with a kiss on each cheek, and had no embarrassment kissing me as I would have expected. Inside, Kelly had already arrived, so I kissed her, with Liara already in the kitchen preparing dinner, so I had a little fun with her, kissing her before running my hand down to between her legs. That made her laugh, at least, giving my hand a gentle slap. “Behave,” she warned with plenty of humour and a large smile.

“Looks like a smorgasbord of food here, Liara.”

“Well, after what Kelly and Shiala talked about earlier, I figured we might need some energy.”

“Oh, and what did Kelly and Shiala talk about?” Liara just gave me a look suggesting I was an idiot. “You do know Gianna…”

“I know, Shepard. We’ll see how things go. If it gets too much, we can stop.”

“No, Gianna said she was content to leave for the evening. I’ll just make sure I see her tomorrow.”

“When do you leave?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure. I said two days, but I’ve heard nothing from Miranda and I’ve received no messages either.”

“Well, you’re more than welcome to stay with us or Gianna during the duration, Shepard.”

Joining the other three on the couch, I was left thinking that Kelly, Shiala and Liara may have already fooled around a little. That didn’t both me in the slightest, but Shiala and Kelly certainly seemed friendlier than the night before. Gianna sat on the other side of me, leaning into my side, my arm wrapped around her. Shiala sat closest on the other side. Liara eventually left everything to cook, joining us by sitting on the floor in front of us. It was surprisingly comfortable, Shiala and Liara chatting about life on Illium again, Kelly talking life back on Earth, Gianna about some of the work she’d done on Noveria before leaving.

It continued as we sat down for dinner, and I think we were all complimenting Liara on her talents in the kitchen within two minutes. Everything she cooked was eaten, every plate was cleared, and no-one could complain about being hungry again. We also shared a couple of bottles of asari wine, Liara assuring Kelly and Gianna that it was low-alcoholic compared to human wines, but certainly fruitier than most wines brewed on our own homeworld.

Retiring to the lounge again, Liara turned on some music, just enough to provide ambience, turning own the lights enough to set the mood. It was obvious by now that I was centre of attention, it was a case of who would move first. Shiala wasted no time expressing what she wanted, as I’d been sat down all of five minutes before she straddled my lap and kissed me, and there was a hunger and desire I remembered all too well from our time together in the _Normandy_. Wearing a thin dress, I undid the back of that easily, lowering it down to reveal her body, pleased to see she wasn’t wearing a bra, my mouth immediately finding a nipple.

“And so it begins,” Liara stated with humour.

While Shiala enjoyed what I was doing, she soon lifted herself from my lap onto the floor, but I’ll be honest, I wasn’t interest in that. I surprised her by stopping her, standing up and gently placing her down where I had been sitting. Reaching up under her dress, she was wearing panties, at least, pulling those off before I lifted her dress to reveal what I wanted.

I glanced at Gianna first. “Are you okay?”

“Definitely,” she replied quietly, “I want to see it from this point of view.”

Shiala was definitely excited. Not because she was so obviously wet. I had a feeling all four of them were by now. But when I simply touched her with my tongue, she moaned loudly, before I looked up to see her blushing, and definitely embarrassed. “Look, I’ve behaved since you walked in the door, Shepard. I wanted you within five seconds…”

“You’re not the only one,” Kelly added.

“Right, Kelly and Liara, sit next to Shiala. Gianna, want to join in with this at least?”

“Not right now, Shepard. Maybe later.”

As I started to eat out Shiala, Kelly sat to one side of her, wasting no time removing her panties, though I figured out now why the three were wearing skirts, with Liara doing the same thing. I focused on Shiala, and as excited as she was, making her orgasm wasn’t particularly difficult or laborious. Might sound a little arrogant there, but it’s the truth. What didn’t help was the fact Kelly and Liara both leaned over, a breast and nipple in each mouth, which simply turned her on further.

Once I’d made Shiala cum, Liara was next, and she was ready for me, a hand on my head as she forced her pussy into my mouth. She definitely knew what she liked now, practically rubbing herself into my face, desperate for me to lick her everywhere. So I went one further, lifted her up slightly, and tongue her arse. That got her attention. “Goddess, we might have to do that one day,” she said.

“He’s already fucked me there,” Kelly confessed, “Best night ever.”

I gave Liara the full treatment, sliding a couple of fingers inside her while just focusing on her clit. With fingers pumping and flicking her there, she was never going to last too long. I could see Shiala leaning over, whispering dirty words into her ear. It was far too much for my blue lover, and when she came, she came hard, squeezing my fingers tightly, her legs wanting to squeeze my entire body. I didn’t relent, fingers pumping harder, relentlessly fondling and licking her clit, until she simply cried out enough. I sat back on my knees as she relaxed back into the couch.

That’s when I stood up and disrobed completely, three sets of eyes immediately going to my crotch, as I was obviously rock hard by now. Shiala licked her lips, while Gianna was definitely thinking about staying now. Kelly wanted to be fucked, but she was going to be eaten out first. She spread her legs, lifting them back so her knees were almost level with her chin, completely exposing herself. I just licked up and down her slit before delving her depths with my tongue, watching her head roll back with an enormous grin on her face.

“Fuck,” she cried out.

“You got lube, Liara?”

She scoffed, looking to see her disappear. Kelly was now watching me with interest as Liara reappeared a minute later. I squirted some onto a couple of my fingers and, while eating her out, I started to play with her other hole. She loved it. Absolutely loved it. And when I finally slid my fingers into her, gently pumping them in and out, I knew she was going to have one hell of an orgasm.

“Fuck yes,” she groaned.

“You going to cum with my fingers in your arse, Kelly?”

“Yes, Shepard,” she hissed.

“Would you love my cock there later?”

“More than anything.”

I was only teasing for the moment, though I had a feeling it wasn’t only Kelly who may have enjoyed it that night. I glanced across to see Shiala and Liara both watching, fondling themselves. Gianna was still dressed, but her hand was down the front of her jeans. She met my eyes and smiled, so she was enjoying it at least.

Kelly was rather delirious by now, or so it seemed, begging me to make her cum, finger her arse faster, fuck her arse later, and various other suggestions that made me raise my eyebrows, but carried away as she was, it just made me double down in an effort to make her orgasm even harder.

When she did, it was a thing of beauty, her entire body seeming to shudder as she cried out. I think she may have even started to cry a little bit it was so good. I kept on going until she calmed down just enough, whispering that it was enough. I stopped as she relaxed her legs, her feet touching the floor. I left soft kisses up her body until I met her lips, where she kissed me with such passion in that moment, it momentarily left me speeches when her eyes met mine.

“Wow,” Gianna stated quietly.

Kelly just caressed my cheek. “Yes, wow.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to join in, Gianna?” Liara asked, “No pressure, but there is no reason to be embarrassed. And we certainly don’t expect you to be intimate with us.”

I think all of us watching Gianna make up her mind. I’ll admit, a larger part of me hoped she would stay than leave. I didn’t expect her to be intimate with anyone else except myself either, but I certainly wouldn’t be embarrassed being intimate with her in front of the others. She took a few seconds before nodding. She didn’t get undressed straight away, though did walk over and gently inserted her fingers into my mouth. “For later,” she whispered.

“Okay, while it’s fun out here, I think adjourning to the bedroom would be best, yes?” Liara asked.

There was definite agreement, Kelly rising to her feet somewhat unsteadily, so I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder, following the other three, Shiala and Liara taking off their dresses on the way, so I was following two naked asari. Soon as I put Kelly down, her dress came off as well. Gianna stopped at the threshold and started to undress as well, though only as far as her underwear. I noticed the dampness in her panties and gave her a quick hug. “Are you sure?” I whispered into her ear.

“Definitely,” she whispered back, “Watching you with others… It’s a turn on. I thought I’d feel differently, but seeing how you look at them, like you look at me. I definitely understand now.”

I kissed her softly for that, and when she pulled back, I was greeted by nothing but a smile. She joined the other four on the bed, Kelly on one edge, Shiala and Liara in the middle, with Gianna on the other. I walked to the edge of the bed and just stood there, waiting for someone to move. Kelly was crawling forward within five seconds, gobbling down my cock without hesitation, her head bobbing up and down so fast, so quickly, one would have thought she was desperate for my cum. Shiala joined her seconds later, the pair alternating who would blow me. Liara simply sat back and watched with Gianna.

“Well, I think we know who loves sucking his cock now,” Liara said.

“Oh, I gave him quite the blowjob yesterday. I’ve never taken such a big load in my mouth before,” Gianna confessed.

“Has he given you a facial yet?”

“Not yet. I prefer to swallow is cum rather than leave it on my face. You mean marking, don’t you?” Liara nodded. “Oh, well, he’s already sprayed cum across half my body so I’ve been marked, don’t worry.”

“I’ll let those two have their fun for now. I know I’ll get a load eventually. I’d rather it somewhere else.”

“You’re not worried about wearing him out?”

“If his cock isn’t working, he has a mouth and fingers to use, Gianna. Or Shiala or Kelly can provide some entertainment.”

I could listen to them converse as Kelly and Shiala pleased me together, both running their tongues along my shaft at one stage, one with my cock, the other focusing on my balls at other times. Then the pair came to some sort of unspoken agreement, each blowing me for around a minute, swapping each time, both urging me on to cum on them when their mouth wasn’t full of cock.

“Who’s taking it?” I managed to groan, feeling myself get close.

“Shiala,” Kelly replied immediately, “She can share it with me.”

I definitely liked the sound of that, Shiala taking over completely, her eyes looking up into mine, almost desperate for me to cum in her mouth. I ran a hand around to the back of her head, gently caressing the back of her crest. I’d done some readying myself and her eyes nearly rolled back into her head in pleasure. “In a second,” I whispered.

Shiala squealed when the first shot hit the back of her throat, though she kept bobbing her head up and down, eager not to spill a drop. I barely heard her over my own groans as I had to stop myself fucking her face, it felt so good. Only when I was empty did I allow my body to relax, letting go of her head. She sat back and looked up, opening her mouth to show me the contents. “Naughty,” I said.

Then she looked at Kelly and the two shared quite the kiss. Even Liara seemed slightly surprised by it before they both looked at me with a smile, and made sure they made noise as they swallowed. “Okay, that is one of the hottest things I’ve seen so far,” I said.

Kelly wasn’t done just yet, swallowing my cock again, eager to clean me up and I think she just wanted to keep blowing me. Despite the fact I’d just cum, I was still relatively hard. So she happily kept pleasing me, running my hand through her hair, Shiala sitting on her knees next to her, feeling her hand run up and down my back as I kissed her. Liara was now feeling left out, but did something that surprised me, eventually positioning herself underneath Kelly, who positioned herself in a way that Liara could eat her out while she could continue blowing me.

Figuring those two could occupy each other, I eventually lowered Shiala onto her back, took my cock from Kelly’s mouth and slid inside Shiala, who’s face lit up once I’d buried my cock inside her. I glanced up at Gianna, pleased to see she was being turned on, her right hand down the front of her panties, quite clearly fondling herself. “Want me next?” I asked.

“No, Shepard, you just have fun. I’ve had you nearly two whole days. Watching you like this is very exciting. These women are rather enthralled by you.”

“I love him,” Shiala said ever so sweetly. I just met her eyes and smiled. “I do, Shepard. Seeing you last time just reinforced those feelings again.”

Shiala and I made love, that much was clear. It was tender and gentle, feeling her legs wrap around me, begging, desperate for me to give her as much as I could with each thrust. Gianna eventually did move, lying beside us, her face watching Shiala, who was as expressive as always when we made love, whether it was in the faces she made, the sounds that escaped her, or the little comments about how great it felt. The way the women talked about me, you’d think I walked around with a twelve-inch long, six-inch wide cock. I don’t, but some people would think I have a hose between my legs.

As I’d just cum, I was going to last quite a while, but Shiala seemed to be in it for the long haul, as she didn’t want to change, she wanted to be underneath me, feeling me thrust gently into her for as long as possible. “I just need your cock inside me,” she said quietly.

By now, even Kelly and Liara had stopped having fun, watching Shiala and I make love. Liara did roll over to share a sweet kiss with her, but Shiala didn’t want to be distracted by anyone except me. What I did want was for her to cum, though, so I asked for a pillow, placing that underneath her butt. She gasped when I restarted, and the smile suggested it was going to work. Loosening her grip around my body, she moved her legs and body so I could slide even deeper into her, really making her moan now, and that’s when I started to up the tempo.

“Fuck me, Shepard,” she cried quietly.

“Pound that asari pussy,” Kelly added. I did have to stare at her in surprise for a moment. “She clearly wants it,” she added.

Liara couldn’t resist, sitting back and starting to fondle herself. I guess it’s exciting watching your sometime lover being fucked by your other lover. We’d been going for some time now, and while I didn’t feel an orgasm approaching, I was feeling a little tired. Having a lot of sex was sometimes worse than going into battle. Left me just as sweaty too.

“I’m close,” Shiala whispered, fingers now digging into my back, almost moving her body to meet my thrusts, desperate to orgasm. “So close,” she whispered again.

“Make her cum, Shepard,” Gianna said, “Make her cum hard. So hard she’ll pass out.”

“You’re getting into it, aren’t you?” Kelly asked.

“I honestly thought this would be awkward. But it… beautiful. And seeing her face, the joy and love she is experiencing, how could it be anything but?”

Shiala cried out one final time before I felt the usual effects of an orgasm, whether it be a human or asari. I kept thrusting into her but lowered my body close to hers so she could hold onto me, her legs wrapping around me as well. “Keep going!” she cried. I wasn’t going to stop anyway, but carried on at the same tempo, making her cry out again and again. When she eventually grew quiet and I felt her relax, only then did I stop, her eyes meeting mine before she pulled my head down to kiss her. “Fuck I love you, Shepard,” she breathed upon breaking the kiss.

Gently pushing me up, she moved back so my cock popped free, now coated in her juices. I looked at Liara, who eagerly slid forward to taste her lover and also get a taste of my cock. Once she was happy, I spun her around and slid my cock into her from behind, smacking her arse once I’d buried myself. “I’m in charge tonight.” When she immediately lowered her head but raised her arse, I almost chuckled. I held my hand out to Kelly, who just seemed to know what I was thinking. Holding onto Liara with one hand, I wasted little time pounding her and she… absolutely loved it.

Kelly poured some lube onto Liara’s butt, and I spent a little time rubbing it in, making it all shiny under the light, before I started to press against her tight little hole with my thumb. She certainly made appreciative noises. “I had no idea you wanted it, Shepard,” she moaned.

“I’m only teasing for now, but after our last time together with Shiala, I did wonder if you were interested in return.”

“If it’s you, definitely.”

“Hang on, what?” Gianna asked

“Last time Shepard was here, he and Liara double penetrated me,” Shiala explained, now lying back on a couple of pillows, simply relaxing, “Liara wore a strap on and used it on my arse.”

I noticed the raised eyebrows from Gianna, perhaps not expecting that. Kelly raised a hand and stated straight away, “I’m up for it. Only proviso is that Shepard is in my arse.”

“That can be arranged,” Liara managed to reply, as I was now really pounding her, and my thumb was now buried in her arse. “Goddess, even your thumb is enormous, Shepard.”

“Done this before?”

“Fingers at most, Shepard. I’m a virgin back there otherwise.”

I glanced at Kelly. “Want to wear a strap on tonight as well?”

“Liara?” Kelly asked.

“Yes,” she hisses, “Yes, for Shepard, anything.”

Damn, she might have had the personality change with others, but when it came to me, it seemed Liara was going to revert to type at times. I wasn’t going to complain. I eventually changed position, taking an even more dominant position over her, really driving my cock into her, though I could lean down and leave gentle kisses on her face. “Trying to cum in you,” I told her quietly.

“I’m loving it, Shepard. Keep going.”

“Tell me if it’s too much.” I always worried at times as, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t being gentle on her. I really wanted to fuck her hard. She had this way about her now that was rather captivating, left thinking the sex would be passionate… and hard. She’d really just want to fuck. And, from what we were doing now, I wasn’t wrong.

I eventually stopped for a moment and pulled out. Her bed was quite high off the ground, so I stepped off the bed and dragged her over to the edge, where I could really start to hammer into her. She still kept her head down, turned back to face me now really get into it. I could feel another orgasm coming, thankful as I was starting to feel the strain of all the attention. “Close,” I warned. She pushed back against me, eager to be fucked but more eager for something else.

Both hands gripping her hips tight, I upped the tempo as much as I could, the sound of our skin slapping now echoing around the quiet bedroom. I growled as I buried myself as I came inside her, really forcing every inch of my cock into her before I felt empty again, gently pushing her down so she could lay flat on the bed, and I followed her, eventually resting on my forearms just above her. “Well, that was something else,” Liara whispered.

“Okay?”

“Shepard, that was fantastic. Goddess, I haven’t been fucked like that since… well, the old Normandy when you gave it to me good a couple of times. I remember Benezia watching her daughter get absolutely fucked. Her face was priceless.”

“Hang on, you had a threesome with mother _and_ daughter, Shepard?” Gianna asked.

“Only the once, and it didn’t get weird,” Liara replied, “But Mother adored Shepard. She was thankful he chose to save her, but once she got to know him, she was another who needed to be with him.”

I pulled out and flopped onto the bed, my cock deflating and I knew I was out of action for a little while. Shiala cuddled into me straight away, Gianna doing the same. Kelly had a look on her face which Liara seemed to recognise. The asari spun around, again on all fours, and the three of us watching Kelly eat out Liara, and I had a good reason why she was doing that. I just laughed as the pair put on a show for us again.

I couldn’t help the yawn that escaped me. “Tired?” Shiala asked.

“It’s been a fun night. And while I love the idea of giving it to Kelly, there is no rush to do everything tonight. We’ve had fun, right?” All four agreed. “And we have tomorrow as well. I have no idea how long we’re actually going to be here, so let’s just have fun together but not wear ourselves out constantly.”

Shiala sighed with relief. “I couldn’t possibly handle another orgasm,” she admitted.

“I’ve had enough too,” Liara added, “Though I’m not complaining about the talents of Kelly at the moment.”

“Kelly?” I asked.

“Shepard, you gave me such an orgasm earlier, I’m still coming down from the high. Trust me, we can just all chill out now and relax.”

We couldn’t all sleep in the same bed, and the apartment Liara had was enormous, explaining that she often had visitors who needed a room to sleep in. I didn’t mind who I ended up sleeping with though it wasn’t a particular surprise that I ended up with Shiala by herself. And it definitely wasn’t a surprise when, after she shut the door for privacy, we made love again. We didn’t keep the noise down but it’s not like we were deliberately loud, Shiala simply desperate for me to be inside her once again, arms and legs wrapped around my body, whispering, begging in my ear to keep going for as long as possible. She ended up riding me, of course, and I thought she would have called it quits after an orgasm. I was proven wrong.

I lost track of the time as she kept going, one after the other, but she eventually had to give up, her entire body turning to jelly as she finally rested on my chest, almost falling asleep straight away. I could only chuckle as I held her, hearing her murmur things in return. “I love you too,” I whispered.

Waking up before her the next morning, I snuck out of bed and headed straight for a shower, not surprised to be joined by Kelly, who immediately sank to her knees again, though I pulled her up and just cuddled her. “Horny?” I asked quietly.

“Just wanted to make you happy.”

I leaned back and gently caressed her face. “Kelly, just doing this makes me happy.”

I think I nearly made her cry before she cuddled into me. “Well, I love this too.” The shower definitely attracted attention and soon all five of us were washing. Even Gianna joined us. I guess having seen all the skin on show last night, she’d lost her inhibitions. She received plenty of compliments regardless, everyone behaving as we simply washed before drying and heading out for breakfast.

Liara explained that she really had to return to the office that day, while Gianna certainly didn’t want to but she did have clients to keep happy, so she would head off as well. Kelly had organised to meet up with some of the girls from the _Normandy_, and Shiala had meetings to do with the colony situation on Illium. So, somewhat surprisingly, I found myself with nothing to really do. I didn’t really feel like organising everyone to take off, getting in contact with Miranda and stating that we would remain on Illium until I gave the order to leave. Certainly not indefinite, but we would remain and simply take advantage of it.

We left the apartment together, letting the girls know I would keep myself occupied until we could meet up later. Kelly did invite me along to join them later, which I agreed to, but I told them I’d keep myself occupied until then.

I ended up back on the ship, and knowing what Joker was like, I let him know, meeting him at the docking bay. He was rather thankful to be allowed back onto the ship, immediately returning to his seat and getting to work, no doubt optimising the _Normandy_ ready for our eventual departure. No idea where we’d head next, but he probably had a million different flight paths in his head already.

After grabbing a coffee from the mess, I headed upstairs to my cabin, sat at my desk, and flicked through the messages on my terminal. I’d barely been gone two days and there was enough there already to keep me busy for hours. With little else to do, I settled in and started reading. News about Collector sightings. One more colony world had been hit, the Alliance arriving within a day though it was still too little, too late. A note on the Council and my unexpected return, stating I still enjoyed my Spectre status but they would disavow any actions due to my current allegiance. Udina simply replied to any questions about me with a ‘no comment’, so that was something, at least. Regarding any personal messages, Emily was keen to meet up with me again, hoping for a short interview and then a proper reunion. Ashley sent me a short message and a poem by someone with the surname of Byron. My knowledge of literature was slim at best, though I appreciated the sentiment.

Before I realised it, my stomach was grumbling, checking the time to see it was mid-afternoon already. Just as I was readying myself to head back out to grab lunch, and perhaps meet up with Kelly and the others for a drink, Shiala called me. “Hello, Shiala.”

“_Shepard, you have to come to the apartment immediately!”_

“Okay, Shiala. Calm down. What’s going on?”

“_I’ve just returned to the apartment and it’s chaos. I think someone tried to assassinate Liara!”_

“Hold tight, Shiala. I’ll be there shortly. Don’t tell them anything but don’t let them know I’m coming just yet.”

If someone was taking shots at Liara, then I was going ready for a fight to get her back. I headed straight down to the armoury and slapped on my armour, grabbing a pistol, rifle and shotgun. As I walked down the gangway towards the airlock, Joker turned around and his jaw dropped. “Something going on, Commander?”

“I’m not sure just yet, but best to be prepared, right?”

“Want me to send word out?”

“Not just yet. Don’t know if this is serious or not. I’ll send a message to the crew if I need them back pronto. But I would suggest you get the systems up and running again, and I might get a few of the crew to head back in preparation for a quick departure.”

“I’ll get on it immediately, Commander.”

Heading back out, I noticed more than one person move out of my way, many more staring at me, as I marched along. I probably looked rather intimidating, deep in thought as to who would try and take a shot at Liara. I already had about half a dozen suspects, chief among them being the Illusive Man. Nothing would surprise me.

Grabbing a cab to her apartment, I boarded the elevator and rode it to her level, walking out to see police tap at the entrance and, inside, detectives already had a work. Shiala saw and ran straight towards me, a tight hug. She was obviously frightened by what had happened to Liara.

Letting her go, I assured her everything was going to be okay and go to work.


	37. In the Shadows

There was no sign of Liara, but someone had definitely taken a shot at her. The apartment was a mess otherwise, though I think that was due to the detectives and their investigation rather than what the potential assassin had done. But it was the arrival of another asari, this one darker than I was used to seeing, who seemed to know all about me.

“Looks like someone tried to kill your friend, Commander Shepard.”

“I don’t go by that title anymore. Just Shepard. Who are you?”

“Tela Vasir, Special Tactics and Recon.”

“Another Spectre?” I offered my hand, which she took immediately, meeting her eyes. They were pretty, and her hand was softer than I expected for someone in her line of work. “Nice to meet you.” Withdrawing her hand, she then turned to the detectives and immediately dismissed them. I was surprised by that, but though they tried to argue, Vasir pulled rank, and I was eventually left alone with the two asari for company. Vasir appeared relaxed, watching her walk over to one of the lounges and take a seat, crossing her rather long legs. I sat on the other lounge, Shiala sitting close to me.

“Who is your friend, Shepard?”

“This is Shiala. We worked together when taking down Saren. She’s visiting from Feros while I’m here.”

“Ah, yes, you were an acolyte for the traitor Benezia, yes?”

“I was, until she chose to sacrifice me to the Thorian. I won’t deny that our relationship has mended since then, though complete forgiveness is still something I am working on.”

Vasir turned to me. “I’m not sure why you didn’t just kill her, Shepard. Benezia, I mean, not the cute little thing beside you. She was a traitor to everything we stood for.”

“I deemed her worthy of saving. And, I guess, it was a small favour for Liara.” I paused before asking, “Surely you are aware of my own issues at the moment?”

“Of course. Every Spectre was informed when you returned, Shepard. But there is a difference. You work with Cerberus to save your people and, who knows, maybe the galaxy again. Benezia worked to destroy all of us. I think that is a substantial difference.”

“Informed for what reason?”

The smirk that formed told me everything. “I understand the word treason may have been used. I don’t believe in that nonsense, of course. Sometimes, Spectres must do what has to be done, push the boundaries, get their hands a little dirty from time to time. It comes with the job and responsibilities of who we are.”

“Learning that every day I’m with Cerberus.”

“And what brings you to Illium, Shepard? Apart from visiting Liara, of course?”

“While we get reports of Collector activity, we’ve hit a snag. So we’re here to recuperate from the missions so far. Liara is an old friend so we’re catching up.”

“And you?” Vasir asked Shiala.

“I’m the one who contacted Shepard to come here straight away. I returned here to find no sign of Liara and detectives milling about. Of course, I was immediately concerned for my friend.”

“And lover, correct?”

“You are well informed, Vasir,” I stated.

She gave me another look, the smirk having not disappeared. “Come now, Shepard. No need to play innocent with me. Your reputation precedes you, of course. As for your asari friend, I find it hard to believe Liara doesn’t believe she is monitored by those who still remain suspicious of her activities.”

“Why would they be suspicious of her?” I wondered.

That made Vasir laugh. “She is the daughter of the traitor, Shepard. If it wasn’t for the fact she was part of the great Commander Shepard’s crew of the Normandy, she would have been persona non grata, forced to scrape a living at the very edge of the activity with her mother. We did find it bizarre that she was allowed to live on Eden Prime, considering her role in the attack on the colony. But that isn’t why I’m here. Can you think of any reason why someone would want to take a shot at Liara?”

“Well, she is an information broker. Perhaps someone doesn’t appreciate what she’s up to?” Shiala replied, as we started to look around for evidence of where she might have gone.

“Anything else that would warrant someone wanting to putting a bullet in her?”

“The Shadow Broker.”

That definitely gained her attention. "The Shadow Broker? My, my, Shepard. You do have some interesting enemies. Dangerous ones too, it seems."

“Mind if I call in a friend to help us look into this? He’s former C-Sec. Would definitely have a keener eye for details than myself.”

“No problem, Shepard. Whatever you think will help us find evidence of where Liara might have got herself too.”

I messaged Garrus, asking him to head for the apartment immediately, not giving him all the details. He replied, stating he’d be with us as soon as possible. I wandered around the apartment, everything already familiar, but something was already tickling the back of my head. It wasn’t sitting right. A little… too convenient almost. I show up, spend a couple of days, and suddenly someone is taking a shot at Liara.

He showed up no more than ten minutes later, and after introducing him to Vasir, he got to work. I tailed him around as his investigative abilities came to the fore. His first stop was the window, assessing what type of rifle was likely used, the bullet that would have been fired, the distance and trajectory. “A thousand yards, I believe,” he stated.

“No shit.”

“No blood around though. None of the floor, so it seems the first shot cracked the window and caused the barrier to fail, and that gave her enough time to move before the second bullet passed through the window. Both shots would have been successive, not even a second apart.”

“So Liara, what, sensed the shot coming?”

“Sometimes, don’t you have this sixth sense that just tells you something is wrong?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

For someone investigating, Vasir barely moved, leaving Garrus and I to wander the apartment. Shiala followed at a distance, and I could sense she was nervous about being in the apartment, and I was left feeling she didn’t particularly like Vasir and her questioning, and insinuations. Walking into Liara’s bedroom, there were the reminders of her life on board the _Normandy_, including a photo of the ship and the crew. Holding up the photo, it changed from the ship to a picture of what looked like Therum… or maybe Ilos? I couldn’t exactly be sure, but I was left feeling it was Liara communicating with me.

Walking around the apartment some more, I’d noticed the artefacts in glass cases, though had been rather distracted by other business. But looking at the photo and around the room, I quickly found what I wanted. A hidden button, a hidden compartment, and a hidden data disc. I glanced at Garrus, who seemed surprised as I was. “Wonder what it is?” he asked.

Sitting down next to Vasir, I showed her the disc. “Found something.”

“What is it?”

“No idea. But I guess it might be a lead. Shiala, does Liara keep an office or at least a workstation here?”

“Of course. Follow me.”

A couple of minutes later, and I was sat at a desk, sliding the disc into the slot. It was video of a call that had taken place between Liara and a salarian named Sekat. No idea who that was but the call was in regards to the Shadow Broker. And it appeared Liara had been investigating his activities and the salarian was growing nervous. But at least it gave us a possible location of where Liara may have gone.

“Before we go, Vasir, I’m calling in some help. This is going to get nasty.”

“Sure, Shepard. Whoever you want to bring in.”

I placed a call to Miranda, Thane and Kasumi, telling them to meet us outside the Dracon Trade Centre. Vasir offered to drive us there, hopping into her skycar nearby, and she soon had us speeding in its direction. I’ll admit I gave her a once over as she drove, and she definitely noticed me looking. “Are you distracted, Shepard?”

“No.”

“As I said, your reputation precedes you.” Garrus burst into laughter behind us though thankfully chose to not comment otherwise.

“Maybe I should learn about your reputation?” I offered.

That made Vasir laugh. “Shepard, you are incorrigible,” Shiala stated from the back seat, next to Garrus.

I glanced back and grinned. “Well, maybe I am a little sometimes.”

“Don’t think I’ve ever been intimate with a fellow Spectre, Shepard. Play your cards right and maybe you’ll get yourself a real treat.”

“Spirits, you don’t waste any time, do you, Shepard?”

“Life is sometimes too short, Garrus. Grab the bull by the horns.”

Five minutes later, and she was pulling up outside the tower block. Garrus never went anywhere without his armour on and at least one weapon. Shiala had changed into her commando leathers and grabbed a weapon as well. I definitely gave her a once over, reminded of how good she looked back on the old _Normandy_. Heading to the building, we hadn’t even approached the front door when there was an almighty explosion. Glass and building material rained down upon us, thankfully nothing big enough to knock us out or cause damage, but when we looked back up, half the building had disappeared and a fire was already taking old.

“Fuck… me…” I muttered.

“I hope Liara wasn’t in there,” Garrus added.

I turned to Vasir. “I’ll take the skycar and head to the roof, Shepard. Make my way down. You head in, secure what you can.”

As she took off, I didn’t need to issue orders, weapons taken out, checked over, and we moved forward. When we found evidence that civilians had been shot, I sent a warning to Vasir immediately. She concurred the explosion must have been a cover up. Heading into the reception area, it was a mess, with bomb damage, flickering lights, and what sounded like trickling water. Miranda looked over the check in desk, reporting that Liara had only recently arrived herself.

Before we could move up, a grenade was thrown in our direction. “Grenade!” I yelled out, everyone moving quickly as it exploded. I felt the quick blast and shrapnel, thankful my shields took the impact though they failed just as we came under fire. Figuring the best form of defence is attack, I growled and charged, colliding with someone in armour, who I could only guess was an agent of the Shadow Broker. After eliminating him, or her, I ducked behind cover and surveyed. It looked and sounded like the Shadow Broker has sent a number of his people.

Quickly joined by the rest, we each played to our strengths as we moved through each floor, clearing every room we passed by. We found plenty of dead civilians, but thankfully a few lucky to be alive. Whenever we found a room with survivors, we told them to be quiet, remain where they were until the sound of gunfire disappeared, and to then head downstairs.

To be honest, if this was the best the Shadow Broker could throw at us, I wasn’t going to be terribly worried about him. His people were no better than the mercenaries I was used to dealing with. Better armour and better weapons, sure, but I had no doubt they were financed well. But talent wise? Nothing special.

As we moved up, Vasir reported in that she was moving down. Arriving at the offices we need, forming up to either side of the door, I gestured to Garrus, counting down to zero, balling my fist, then we burst in, weapons ready. The reception area was clear, moving quickly through the next door, sweeping as we moved, and we found Vasir in the room after that, the body of an agent at her feet. Beyond her lay a salarian, and I could only assume it was Sekat.

"Damn it. If I'd been a few seconds quicker, I may have stopped him."

“We could have been too. Run into many agents?”

“Enough to delay my arrival here, Shepard.”

I checked the body but he was now beyond saving, and there was nothing on his body. The office had been ransacked, and even his desk offered next to no hope, his terminal smashed to pieces. But while that was bad enough, there was still no sign of Liara. We hadn’t found her body, so I was confident she was still alive.

"Well this is a dead end,” I muttered in frustration, “No information and no sign of Liara."

"You didn't find her?" Vasir asked, "That's unfortunate."

"Looking for me?" asked a familiar voice. I looked up to see Liara at the door, her face one of unbridled rage, her usual pristine clothing wet and dirty, her pistol aimed at only one person in the room. Approaching Liara somewhat carefully, I raised a hand, gesturing for calm.

“Okay, Liara, take it easy. What’s going on?”

"She tried to kill me, Shepard,” Liara replied, watching her eyes narrow at Vasir. _God, she is ready to shoot her immediately_. I glanced to see Vasir was backing up though her hand was moving to her pistol. I wasn’t sure she could draw before Liara pulled the trigger.

"You've had a rough day. I'll let that one slide. But I don't like guns being pointed at me. Why don't you put it down before you do something stupid?"

I looked at Liara. I wanted to believe her, but Vasir had been helpful. And I couldn’t figure out what Vasir had to gain from any of this. "Shepard, I know she's in on this. Once I fled, I doubled back to my apartment block. She was the one who took the shot. She was the one who ransacked my apartment. She's the one who has been trying to kill me."

I’d always believe Liara, raising my shotgun, hearing other weapons readied behind and to my side. Vasir simply looked at me and smiled. "I have to thank you, Shepard. The perfect lap dog, doing all the leg work for me to find Liara. And all I had to do was flutter my eyebrows and show half an interest.”

“Damn it,” I muttered.

"She works for the Shadow Broker, Shepard. No doubt sent in by him once I'd discovered the true identity of Nyxeris,” Liara stated.

“What, your receptionist?”

“Between your last visit and this, I increased the scope of my investigation, and figured out there was a mole in my company. I set her up and she took the bait. I’ve already dealt with her. And I knew the Shadow Broker was the one behind it all.” She paused, stepping forward, amazed at how steady her pistol was despite the anger no doubt coursing through her veins. "She killed Sekat, Shepard. And, if I were to take a guess, she has the data disk I need on her right now."

"You're right there, Liara. Not that you'll ever get to see it. You pureblood bitch."

And, with those words, she summoned her biotics, blowing out any windows that remain intact before she flung an attack in our direction. Most of us managed to duck out of the way, but by the time I turned back, and hurled myself over the table, both of us falling out of the window. Thankfully, Vasir summoned her biotics just before we hit the ground, though I could have done without the punch to the nose she gave me, and we still hit the ground with a sickening crunch. She was up and sprinting away quickly with those long legs of hers.

Unbeknownst to me, Liara had also jumped out the window and tore after Vasir. I staggered to my feet and gave chase, reporting into the others what was going on. More Shadow Broker agents arrived, though these looked like normal run of the mill mercenaries, and I just growled and charged again, blasting away anything that wanted to kill me in return. My colleagues arrived quickly, and we wasted them quickly.

I could see Liara ahead, and when a skycar took off, I noticed Vasir behind the wheel. Chasing after Liara, she headed to another one, opening the door so I assumed it was hers. Climbing in alongside, Garrus and Shiala came along, telling Miranda to simple hotwire a second one and follow as quickly as possible. Once we were in the air, Liara’s focus was solely on the skycar in the distance. Her face was set and, I’ll admit, I was a little turned on by it. I did enjoy this side of Liara.

"She dies, Shepard." The venom in the tone even gave me a moment of pause.

“Absofuckinglutely. Shame about that. I was already thinking other things about her. Obviously.”

“You were distracted, Shepard. I’m not criticising, but she knows your reputation and played up to it.”

“It’s always the pretty ones who want to kill me.”

“Help me with this, Shepard, and I’m not sure what I’ll do to thank you.”

“Spirits, you’re going to wear him out.”

“Only after she’s dead, Garrus. I don’t like people who try to kill me, particularly those who try more than once.”

“Always seems to happen around Shepard, though,” Garrus stated. I glanced back and the bastard just looked smug.

“Could always stop and let you out right now, smartarse.”

He shut up immediately, though as soon as I turned around, I heard a muttered comment to Shiala, who couldn’t hide the giggle that escaped her. I shared a glance with Liara, who managed a tight grin despite her anger. Staring out the windscreen, we were definitely gaining on Vasir. Looking at Liara again, her knuckles were almost white as she gripped the wheel, her entire body tense, eyes almost daggers as we pursued Vasir.

I had no idea where in Illium we were, but we were soon slaloming between skyscrapers. More than once we came close to colliding with another vehicle, only missing by felt like inches. Shiala squealed from the backseat more than once, Garrus muttering that he wanted to throw up. I simply took the rifle from my back and got ready to fire when necessary. “Get me closer,” I ordered.

“You going to shoot her or the car?”

“Get me close enough and I’ll put a bullet through her fucking head.”

She glanced at me for a mere moment. “Your attitude has changed.”

“I generally don’t like women who try to kill me, Liara. You, though, are exciting me quite a lot.”

“Spirits, you two should just get a room after this.”

“Oh, we will, Garrus once we’ve dealt with the blue bitch,” Liara practically growled.

Liara somehow managed to get us close enough that I undid the belts holding me in place and I opened the door to the skycar. I received questions from all three of my companions before I shot out the hinges holding the door in place before glancing back at Shiala, asking her to hold me steady, before urging Liara to do the same thing. Once she was level and I was feeling confident enough, I stood and leaned out of the skycar, levelled my rifle, and fired three short bursts towards Vasir.

The first burst missed completely. The second seemed to skim the skycar, but made her jerk. The third burst hit right where I wanted. Within second, the skycar was out of control, nosediving towards a nearby tower block. I sat back into my seat and did up the belts as Liara surged after her. As Vasir’s skycar seemed to crash land, Liara had to search for a decent spot to put us down.

Vasir must have been in contact with other, as by the time we’d all got out of the car, mercenaries were descending from other vehicles that must have been following us, or just happened to arrive at the right time. Garrus had his rifle out and blew the head off one immediately. Liara and Shiala linked up their biotic attacks. I took the shotgun from my back and got to work.

Miranda arrived with Kasumi and Thane as we were dealing with them, more mercenaries appearing, and soon the rooftop of wherever we were echoed with the sound of gunfire and the thump of biotics. More than one mercenary was sent screaming over the edge, Liara almost working alongside me at times, simply picking up and flinging mercenaries over the side in her desperation to reach Vasir.

It was a short fight, and Liara was simply far too pissed off to think of anything except get to Vasir and rip her throat out. I was inclined to agree with her, so once we’d mopped up the mercenaries, we moved on. Passing through an empty room, the large bed, décor, and pornography playing on the large vidscreen suggested we were in some form of hotel. Where the occupants of said room were, we didn’t know. Probably hiding in the bathroom if they were smart.

“Shepard, look,” Liara stated, pointing at the ground nearby. Blue blood. Only asari and turians bled that colour.

“Follow the blood, we find her. And if she’s leaking that much, she has to be injured badly, unless she’s got medi-gel.”

Moving on, we passed by more rooms filled with either scantily clad or naked asari, entertaining males of many species, human, turian, even a salarian or two. Some were entertaining fellow asari, and there were a few female humans as well. Garrus wondered where we were, Liara not stopping but explaining it was a luxury resort dedicated to pleasures of the flesh.

“So a brothel?” I asked.

“No, classier than that sort of establishment, Shepard. This is certainly of the higher-end one would expect from credits well into the five figures for only a few hours’ entertainment.”

“But sex is the end result?”

Liara nodded. “Well, you remember the Consort on the Citadel? There are places like this all over Illium which are similar to hers. Obviously without the reputation.”

We followed the blood trail, never more than a few spots at a time, but at least we knew we were heading in the right direction. More than once we came upon wounded or even dead patrons, Vasir obviously caring little about who she put down as she tried to escape. We also found mechs on the ground, some appearing to have been servants, others guards that were easily disabled by the Spectre.

But she was obviously wounded and we caught her quickly. Walking out into a dining area, providing some spectacular views of Nos Astra, Liara already had her pistol raised as Vasir came into view.

"Vasir!" Liara called out, "Stop right there. It's over!"

It wasn’t. Vasir was never going to go down without a fight. She was a Spectre. I remembered her words about doing whatever was necessary. So, of course, Vasir grabbed a nearby waitress. A human. I don’t think she chose because of me. I think the waitress was just the nearest available hostage, pistol pointed at her head as she glared at us from a distance. I raised a hand in gesture for everyone to form up but lower, not holster, their weapons.

"Let her go, Vasir!" Liara called out, the four of them taking a couple of paces closer.

Vasir spoke quietly to her hostage. "What's your name?" she eventually asked louder.

"Mariana," replied her hostage.

"And do you want to live, Mariana?"

"Yes, please!" Mariana cried.

“Let her go, Vasir. She has nothing to do with this,” I warned, “Or are you as cowardly as Saren?”

Perhaps the wrong thing to say. Her eyes narrowed in my direction, the barrel digging into the temple of Mariana. "I'm nothing like Saren! And all you had to do was walk away, Shepard. Don't you understand, you and your little blue bitch? The Shadow Broker runs things. And he does not like being messed with." She paused, threatening to shoot, but if she did that, she lost her leverage. And she knew we’d fire without hesitation. "And because you chose to get involved, now it has to get ugly. Tell me, Shepard, how many souls do you carry on your conscience?"

“None.” I could see my reply perplexed her, but before she could say anything…

"Please, I have a child. A son. Don't kill me," Mariana pleaded.

"A son? Well, well, well. I've heard losing a parent is just horrific for children.”

"I'm going to take pleasure in killing you, Vasir," Liara growled. The only thing stopped her at the moment was she didn’t have a clear shot.

"I'm giving you one warning and one warning only. Guns on the ground now. Or I kill the lady."

I shared a glance with Liara and I definitely surprised her by laughing. “Jesus wept, Vasir. You clearly have no idea about my track record. I think I’ve proven I give less than a shit about sacrificing certain people to achieve my objectives. Nor have I hesitated in shooting those I deem a threat. And considering who I am currently working with, that should suggest to you that I am still willing to do whatever is necessary. So…”

I fired, putting a bullet into Mariana. Only in her shoulder, but it knocked both her and Vasir backwards, Mariana falling clear of her clutches as Liara launched a biotic attack directly at Vasir. She staggered before she turned and ran, Liara and I chasing her as I yelled at everyone else to take care of Mariana.

We ended up on the balcony of the resort, a giant pool in the middle, surrounded by tables, chairs, recliners, umbrellas. And Vasir called in the remaining forces she had at her disposal, the rooftop soon little more than a battlefield, gunfire and biotics being traded. Garrus took position to take the head off any mercenary dumb enough to present a target. Thane and Kasumi ran riot. Shiala and Liara caused havoc. And I went looking for Vasir. She was tough, I’ll give her that much credit. More than once I collided with her, but her biotic shield was strong, and more than once she got a shot off in my direction, shields failing and I was left bleeding by the end of it all.

But with the team I had with me, she was never going to win. Shiala and Liara whittled down her barrier, and once it was gone, Garrus put a bullet into her gut, causing her to fall to the ground. Liara and I closed on her before she could do anything stupid. I kicked the weapon from her grasp and Liara searched her body, taking what she needed before stepping back, covering the Spectre as I crouched down next to her.

“Shame, Vasir. Before you turned, I actually liked you.”

“You’re nothing but a traitor, just like the pureblood bitch you hang around with. You’ll get your comeuppance eventually, Shepard.”

“No, I won’t. You were good, Vasir, I’ll give you that much credit. But the people I surround myself with, and I’ll even give myself a pat on the back, we’re better.”

She smirked though she was starting to fade. “You don’t stand a chance, Shepard. The Shadow Broker has been running things for decades. You’re nothing to the likes of him. If I were you, I’d walk away now.”

“Not going to happen. And if anyone is the traitor here, it’s you.”

She scoffed. "I'm no traitor. Not like you. I don't actively work with terrorists. And before you even suggest it, I'm nothing like Saren. Nothing! The Broker gives me intel that saves lives, keeps the Citadel safe and the Council in their cosy positions. And I'll do what it takes to make sure that remains so."

“Whatever makes you comfortable with however long you have left.”

She might not have liked it, but I grabbed her hand and held it as she started to struggle for breath, the ground underneath her starting to turn blue as she slowly started to fade away. Eventually her breathing slowed to such a rate, her eyes started to turn glassy, and within a couple of minutes, she was gone. I was nice enough to close her eyes, but nothing else as I stood up. We moved to a nearby table, our team sitting around it as Liara started to check the data on the disc she had found.

Jackpot. It had the location of the Shadow Broker. And she leaned something else important to her.

A colleague she had worked with to retrieve my body, someone named Feron, was alive, though obviously a prisoner. When I asked who he was, Liara took a deep breath before immediately going into the whole story of what she had done to get me back. By the time she was done, most of us were speechless. I didn’t really know what to say. She’d told me some of the story upon our first meeting, but it seemed she’d left nothing out this time.

“So, when are we going then?” I asked.

“We’ll need to discuss that in private, Shepard. Right now, I need to return to my apartment, sort out one or two things, and I’m in desperate need of a shower. But I would suggest getting the Normandy ready to head off, if that’s okay.”

“Oh, I certainly have a bone to pick with the Shadow Broker myself, Liara. I’m all in on this one.” I looked at Miranda. “Send a message to the crew. All are to return to the ship by 0900 ship time tomorrow. I will give further instructions from there.”

“Right away, Shepard.”

“As for right now, I suggest we split up and take stock of what’s happened. I’ll head back with Liara, as we’ll need to discuss the next steps. Miranda, I will let you know as soon as we have a plan. The rest of you, thanks for your assistance for the moment, and you might be called upon to help again at a later date, depending on circumstances.”

Heading inside, we assured all the staff that the situation was now in hand, but that they should call local law enforcement to come deal with the situation. When asking who we were, I had to let them know I was a Spectre, providing my details so they could at least confirm that the affair was legitimate. Once they realised I was Shepard, I had more than one offer to return and take advantage of the facilities available.

Downstairs a couple of minutes later, we split up, Shiala, Liara and I grabbed a cab to head back to her apartment, the rest heading straight back to the _Normandy_ to prepare for our departure. The sun was already starting to disappear, so we wouldn’t remain on Illium much longer. Back at Liara’s apartment, I put a call straight through to Gianna, asking for her to visit. She sounded concerned, so I immediately assured her I was fine, but there had been an issue which would result in my departure from Illium sooner than planned. She said she’d head over immediately. I spoke to Kelly next, who told me that she’d head straight for the ship and that she’d see me tomorrow.

“Shepard, I’ve obviously been planning for this eventuality for some time, so I need to ask a few favours.”

“Name them.”

“I have a ship ready to go, waiting on Omega. I’ve been paying Aria T’Loak to keep it secure for me ever since I retrieved your body, having learned of the Shadow Broker’s plans. So what I’m asking is for us to fly to Omega, to leave the Normandy there, then we head to see the Shadow Broker. We’re going to need a team, so I need to ask that you don’t bring anyone with any affiliation with Cerberus, whether actually part of the organisation, or with financial links.”

“Okay, that counts out Miranda and Jacob. Kasumi and Zaeed were paid off by the Illusive Man, so while they might not owe allegiance, they could be bought off. So… who do you trust most?”

“Garrus and Tali, obviously.”

“I would suggest Grunt. His allegiance is to Wrex.”

“What about Thane?”

“Solid choice. Man is an expert in matters regarding death.”

“And Shiala makes seven. I don’t think we’ll need more than that.”

We continued to make plans as Gianna showed up. Liara suggested that nothing would happen until we left Illium so that I should really spend my last night with her. I was a little stressed out after everything, Gianna recognising immediately, so after agreeing to meet at the ship the next morning, Gianna insisted we head to a bar that served food and alcohol. We were sat no more than half an hour later in a quiet little bar, a small booth to ourselves, some soothing jazz tunes in the background, and only the faint sounds of conversation around us.

“Long day?” she asked once we’d been served drinks and ordered food.

“I’m not sure where to start. But the result is that I have to leave sooner than I anticipated.”

“I knew you’d leave sooner rather than later, Shepard. It comes with what you’re doing.”

“This is something different. Something more… personal. Don’t want to say too much, but I’ll certainly let you know once the mission is complete.”

“I’m used to secrets, Shepard. I certainly don’t expect you to share everything you do.”

She shuffled across to she could lean into me, and we shared our plates of food as we ate, polishing off a bottle of wine before she suggested we head back to her place. Once we were in the front door and she’d locked it, there was little wasted time as we made our way to her bedroom, clothes disappearing quickly before we tumbled onto her bed. She ended up flipping around and we pleasured each other at the same time. I found it rather hard to concentrate as she blew me, and she found it just as difficult as I ate her out. I eventually stopped, enjoying her lips wrapped around my cock, and she made me cum rather quickly. Once she’d finished me off, I could focus all my attention on returning the favour, though the advantage is that a woman can orgasm more often than a man, so making her cum three times before she simply had to roll off me was certainly a reason for me to grin.

We then cuddled together, as sometimes, you didn’t need to have intercourse, and with Gianna, I simply enjoyed just holding her in my arms, particularly when we lay facing each other, my hands running up and down her body, or I’d caressed her face, earning one of those smiles that made my heart flutter each and every time. After turning out the light, she snuggled into my chest as I held her tight, whispering that I loved her. I’ll be honest, I hated the thought of leaving the next morning.

She was quiet the next morning upon waking up. We showered together as always, with plenty of cuddling under the hot water. We ate breakfast, but I could see she was already thinking, and as we walked hand in hand towards the docking bay, her hand gripped mine tighter and tighter the closer we got. By the time the ship came into view, she was visibly upset. Miranda was outside waiting for me, as I was the last to arrive, Miranda quickly stating Liara and Shiala were already on board, and then she left me alone.

Hugging Gianna to me, she was not embarrassed about crying this time. “I don’t want to leave either,” I admitted.

“I know. I feel like a fool…”

I shushed her. “One day, we won’t have to do this again. I’ll arrive and then we’ll be together.”

“How long until that happens?”

“I’ll admit, I don’t know. But I don’t plan on being old and grey. I’m doing my duty now, and I’ll do it until the job is done, but one day, I will want peace. And when that day comes, I’ll return to you for the last time.”

She lifted her head so she met my eyes, gently cupping her face as I gave her a gentle kiss. “I love you, Shepard,” she whispered.

“And that love is returned. And I promise, I will return before I go through the Omega Four. And I will definitely come back once the job is done.”

“I will hold you to that last promise, Shepard.”

After a last kiss and cuddle, she let me go, taking a step back as I turned and walked back onto the ship. I stood in the airlock and waved before I pressed the button to shut it, walking through to the cockpit, where Joker was ready for me. “We’re going to Omega, Joker. Once we’re there, I’ll explain further.”

“No worries, Commander. I’ll have us there as quickly as possible.”

Walking through the CIC, Liara and Shiala were standing near the elevator, looking a little awkward, in all honesty. I told them to head upstairs to my cabin as I greeted Kelly with the now standard greeting. “Missed you,” she whispered as I hugged her from behind.

“And I you, Kelly,” I whispered back, “Big things are afoot. I’ll tell you about them later. But we’re going to Omega. And once we arrive, I’ll be disappearing for a while.”

“I assume that’s why Liara and Shiala are on board?”

“Correct.”

“Then I trust whatever decision you need to make, Shepard. I am still sleeping upstairs though?”

“Liara and Shiala will have their own quarters until we arrive on Omega.” I think she sighed with relief so I kissed her cheek. “Kelly, upstairs is our home. Everyone knows, and even they’ve had it explained. Plus, we’re not on Illium. Need to at least be somewhat sensible. Can’t be having too many gangbangs and orgies.” That made her giggle, so I kissed her again on the cheek before I let her go, heading straight upstairs to my cabin, where I explained how long the journey would take and our preparations before our arrival. Liara explained further the ship she had available and the details she had taken from the disc.

Showing them to their own quarters later that afternoon, they were not offended as the cabin was simply not big enough to comfortably sleep a lot of people, unless they wanted to sleep on the couches. Samara was agreeable to move into the same lounge as Kasumi for a night, allowing Liara and Shiala some privacy in the other lounge. After such a long day, it was little surprise they were almost falling asleep at dinner. I was feeling it as well, so headed upstairs early, enjoying a shower with Kelly, before we headed to bed, where I fell asleep before her for once.

Arriving on Omega in the evening the next day, I had to sit down and explain to Miranda what would be happening over the next few days. She was surprisingly understanding of why I wouldn’t be taking the _Normandy_ nor any Cerberus crew going forward. “Whatever you do, Shepard, do not tell a soul what happens while you’re away. Not me. Not Jacob. Not anyone wearing the symbol. Not even Kelly.”

“Kelly?”

“Oh, she’s loyal to you like no-one else on this ship, Shepard, but say she’s kidnapped and tortured?” The thought alone pissed me off and it must have shown, Miranda immediately reaching across to grab one of my balled fists. “Exactly. So, whatever happens, don’t tell anyone on this ship that may have connections with us.”

“You’re being surprisingly…”

“I trust you, Shepard.”

“And I think that trust is now returned, Miranda. But thank you for not making this difficult.”

“Trust me, if you’re doing what I think you might end up doing, then it’s only a good thing.”

Once we docked, the team Liara and I agreed upon gathered on the gangway. I did ask Liara about taking Joker to pilot her own ship, but because he’d willingly joined Cerberus, she didn’t trust him completely so had her own pilot ready to take us the rest of the way. Miranda had told the crew we would be dealing with a matter that required the ship remaining on Omega indefinitely, so there were not many questions raised. Garrus, Tali, Thane and Grunt were joining Liara, Shiala and I. We were taking armour and weapons only, Liara assuring us her ship would be stocked with everything else we would need otherwise. The others left before Kelly ran down the gangway to see me off, giving me one hell of a kiss as a parting gesture before wishing me good luck and practically demanding I return alive.

The ship was smaller than the current _Normandy_, and smaller than the old _Normandy_, though was large enough we were comfortable. There was a small kitchen and dining area, a small room where there were two rows of three beds, obviously the quarters for other guests, and a large bedroom which was obviously for Liara. The cockpit had two chairs, for pilot and co-pilot, and two behind for navigation and engineering.

We gathered around the table as Liara explained what we’d discovered. “We’re heading a relatively uncharted world named Hagalaz. It is not a very nice planet. Its rotation is incredibly slow, so the side facing the nearest sun is extremely hot, more than what any of us can handle, and the other side is freezing cold, so there are two extremes. Somewhere within that is the Shadow Broker. No doubt his hide out is hidden by the furious storms that rage across the surface of the planet. There is something else though.

The Shadow Broker lives on a ship. Not sure exactly of the specifications but it appears it remains in the air almost constantly. I’ll guess we’ll find out more once we are on board, but obviously that means the ship will need to take us in close that we can get on board then we can deal with the Shadow Broker.”

“Deal with as in… kill?” Garrus asked.

“If it comes to it, yes, putting it rather simply.”

That revelation certainly gave the rest a moment of pause. I had figured it was her goal ever since she’d started looking into finding the Shadow Broker. She’d simply confirmed what I’d always thought. “It will be at least a two-day journey. I have no doubt the Broker has people watching the comings and goings from the nearest relay, so we’ll have to make it to Hagalaz without delay. As you can see, the ship isn’t exactly large, by my pilots are trained for this. They will get us to the objective without a problem. After that, it is up to us. Take the opportunity to rest now as I don’t think it’s going to be pretty once we’ve arrived.”

The ship was well supplied, at least, so there was plenty of food and drink to go around. Liara and I stayed up later than everyone else, not really talking about anything, as she was giving me a look I knew well. Shiala gave us both a kiss on the cheek and headed to join the others. Liara took my hand and led me to the other room. It was basic, but we didn’t need anything else.

After the adrenaline of the day, the easiest way to put it is that we fucked over the next couple of hours. While the kissing was hot and rather passionate as we undressed, there was very little foreplay, Liara practically pushing me onto the bed and just leaping on me. While she might have wanted to take control, in no matter what position I might have been, I certainly showed her who was boss. I had her crying out within a few minutes, no doubt keeping the rest awake, making her beg for my cock. The one thing I appreciated is that she knew what she wanted and she demanded it.

When she pulled the bottle of lube from the nightstand, I didn’t hesitate, immediately getting her ready before lubing up myself. I took my time, of course, as she’d admitted that she’d had fingers up there but nothing else. So when it came to sliding my cock into her arse, at least, I didn’t just ram it in.

“Goddess,” she whispered as the head of my cock popped inside her tight arse. She was now on all fours, glancing back with hunger in her eyes. “Give me everything, Shepard.”

“I will, just get used to it first.”

She was far more eager than I thought, almost pushing back onto my cock within a couple of minutes. She gasped and moaned occasionally, but once she seemed comfortable, I quickly established a tempo that seemed to please her. Lifting her up to rest against my body, my hands grabbing her breasts and pinching her nipples before I moved a hand down to her pussy, giving that a real fondle.

“Shepard,” she breathed.

“Your arse is fantastic, Liara.”

“I’ve been waiting to do this for years.”

I was soon pounding her, my lips near her ear, telling her the naughtiest things imaginable about what I wanted to do to her. I bit her neck all over, leaving nice little marks that she couldn’t possibly cover up. She came hard as I fondled her, feeling her squeeze my cock as she did. I was starting to get close myself, and when I warned her I was about to cum, I pulled out and managed turn her around. She could read my mind, getting down just in time to take the first shot on her face, quickly followed by at least three or four more, before she did not hesitate in swallowing my cock, making appreciative noises as she looked up at me.

Smiling to myself, I picked up her and laid her down, simply lying down beside her as I rested my head on my hand, looking down at her. She met my eyes and started to giggle, cum still all over her face. “Fuck, I needed that, Shepard.”

“Needed to get it out of your system?”

“I just need to be… _fucked_. Know what I mean?”

“Definitely. Had no idea you were so keen on the whole anal thing though.”

“That was just for you, Shepard. Kelly and I talked about it.”

“Ah…”

“You didn’t seem as hesitant tonight.”

“Oh, your arse was getting fucked sooner or later, T’Soni. I think you made your intentions clear the other night. Not the biggest fan, but I’m willing to do it occasionally. Sometimes, a guy just can’t say no when it’s offered.”

There was only a small bathroom on board that could only fit one person at a time, so Liara headed in first to clean herself up before I had a quick wash, joining her back in bed afterwards. Being truly alone for the first time, she cuddled into my side and shared her innermost feelings about everything that had happened since I’d disappeared. The longer I listened, the more I realised everything was a front to how heartbroken she’d been left after I’d died. Once she got it all off her chest, and she’d shed a few tears, we made love.

Though I’d enjoyed what we did earlier, what we shared then was even better. And she certainly went to sleep with a smile on her face once we were finished again.

There were comments made about the noise the morning, of course, though nothing that could embarrass me anymore. Liara simply retorted by saying I had always been an incredible fuck, so that gave me opportunity to sit there, looking smug. Otherwise, I would admit it was a rather dull day, the ship not allowing much movement nor privacy, so apart from keeping up to date with news, we simply had to sit and wait until our arrival.

That night, knowing we would arrive in Hagalaz by lunchtime the next morning, Shiala joined Liara and I for some fun. There was only one real reason why Shiala wanted to join in, Liara digging into her small bag to show that she’d brought the same toy we’d used on her before. Shiala was showered in attention, my face between her legs, Liara sitting on her face, and once both asari had cum, Shiala got on all fours as we got her ready.

This time, Liara lay down, Shiala straddling and sliding down the strap on, getting comfortable before I positioned myself and ever so gently slid into her arse. I think I fucked her for all of five minutes before she had another orgasm. Somehow, I lasted quite a while until I needed to cum, Shiala begging for me to leave a load inside her. So that’s what I did.

Honestly, I was done after that, didn’t need anything else, so I had the pleasure of watching Liara and Shiala please each other at the same time. It was perhaps one of the most erotic things I’d ever seen, both asari practically experts in regards to the body of the other. No idea how many times each of them orgasmed before they had to stop. Liara worried I was left out, but I assured her that, sometimes, I simply didn’t need to be involved.

We woke early the next morning, joining the others for breakfast, before we all assembled in armour and prepared our weapons. By mid-morning, we were approaching our destination. Making it to orbit of Hagalaz apparently undetected, we checked the monitors to see our fears confirmed. We could detect a faint ship signature smack bang in the middle of a storm system so large, it must have covered half the planet. But we had no choice. We’d come this far, there was no backout now.

The next few hours were the craziest of my new life so far. The ship descended through thick clouds until we were in the right position. Hovering just over a walkway, the ship had to match the speed of the other and, after switching on the magnets in our boots, we made what seemed like a death-defying leap between the two ships. Once all seven of us were safely on board, Liara radioed for the ship to head back to orbit and we’d get in touch soon.

We discovered that the ship was simply enormous, of a construction practically unseen. We discovered the engines seemed to keep the ship going indefinitely, using the electricity of the very storms it flew through to keep it powered. There was also very little to no security at first, the only things around to kill us being the storm itself, or perhaps being blown off the side if not for the magnets in our boots.

Once we ran into a random patrol, though, that is when shit hit the fan, and we faced a slog from that moment until we reached the lone door that would allow us access. The Shadow Broker had a small army on board the ship, and he threw plenty in our direction. I didn’t dare risk charging around on board a flying ship, reverting to using my rifle and working in tandem with Garrus and Thane. It was always amusing to watch Liara and Shiala use their biotics, lifting and flinging plenty of the enemy over the sides of the ship. I could only guess how high we were and how long it would take for them to impact the ground below.

Making it to the door what felt like hours later, we couldn’t just bust the door open, Liara using a special decoder that would allow us access. We then had to bunker down and fight off what felt like a horde of mercenaries. Taking out my shotgun, I now worked in tandem with Tali, creating a field of fire that some were dumb enough to walk into, Tali laughing with glee whenever she managed to drop one of them. The wait for the lock breaker seemed interminable, and more than once, I was left wondering if we were not going to be left overwhelmed, as the enemy approached from all sides. More than one of us took a wound as our shields simply couldn’t keep every single projectile at bay, but once the lock finally cracked, we backed up and inside, myself last in as always before we managed to seal the door shut.

There were more waiting inside, and now I could charge, the poor bastards not seeing to realise who they were up against. Blood lined the walls and floor once I was done, taking five of the six out myself, Garrus taking the head off the sixth. That simply attracted attention, hearing the footsteps of more approaching. I grinned at Liara and took off again, though there were at least triple the number this time, so I was more circumspect in how I approached, ensuring I didn’t go getting myself killed due to be overly cocky.

Then we found Feron. I certainly didn’t expect a drell. Poor bastard was tied to a chair, signs of torture across his body, and when Liara tried to get him out, he was almost cook alive by some sort of electrical current, his cries of pain causing Liara to actually step back. "Leave it, Liara!" the drell pleaded, "You can't tamper with it. You'll have to shut off the power from his office. Otherwise I'll cook."

"No time for twenty questions, then. Just one. Who or what is the Shadow Broker?" Liara asked.

"I'm not sure, but whatever he is, he's big. Very big. Nothing I've seen before."

After dealing with the last team of mercenaries sent our way, Liara fighting with a fury I had witnessed before, watching her fling them around the corridor with ease, actually squeezing the life out of the last one as she squashed the armour so tight, blood started to drip to the ground, before she smashed his body into the walls, the ceiling and floor before flinging him away.

Then we met the Shadow Broker. He was big. Like no species I’d seen before. Even in the darkness that hid him for the moment, his sheer size was intimidating. I gripped my shotgun that little bit tighter, readying myself for the inevitable. When he finally leaned forward, I still didn’t recognise the species, but damn, was he ugly!

"Here for the drell?" asked the Shadow Broker, its voice deep and grumbling, "A reckless move, Commander, even for you."

Well, he knew who I was, at least. "You're hardly subtle, considering your own actions on Illium," Liara retorted.

"Extreme decisions are sometimes necessary. I thought you, of all people, would have understood that, Commander. And you, Doctor T'Soni."

I glanced to see the team had formed up, covering the Broker from every angle. If he was smart, he’d co-operate, but it was obvious that he had grown supremely arrogant in his position. “All we want is the drell,” I stated, “Give him to us and you can go about your merry way. Though we’d prefer you to stop trying to kill us.”

“Why torture him for so long?” Liara growled, “What could he have possibly told you that would be worthwhile?”

"It is your fault, Doctor T'Soni. If you had not interfered with my plans, none of what has happened would have been necessary. As for the drell, he is paying the price for his betrayal." He then looked at me. “And the Collectors still wish to claim the bounty for your body, Commander. I will hand you over once we’re done here.”

“Bring it on, big fella.”

“All we want is Feron. Let us take him and we’ll at least let you live,” Liara warned.

The Broker simply laughed at such a statement. It boomed around the room, emphasising his sheer size. "Doctor T'Soni, you do not understand. None of you will be walking out of here at all. I know every secret, asari, while you have spent two years fumbling in the dark just trying to find me. Do not think, and do not believe, that you can challenge me."

Liara glanced at me and smirked. Oh, I loved it when she was in this sort of mood. "I know more than you think. For starters, let's try what you actually are. You're a yahg, a pre-spaceflight species, quarantined to your home-world for massacring the Council's first contact teams. Add to that, it's quite easy to realise this base is older than your planet's discovery, which probably means you killed the original Shadow Broker at least sixty years ago, taking his place instead. Now, what I'm guessing is that you were originally taken from your home-world, likely as a trophy, or a slave…"

“Oof, how’s that for truth, big guy!” I exclaimed.

"Or maybe he took you as a pet. Am I getting warmer?"

The talking ended, the Broker flinging his desk out of the way as he roared. Gunfire erupted immediately, but the bastard had strong shields, and it appeared yahg had tough skin, or maybe he was wearing special armour. Then he pulled out what look like some sort of energy shield, which blocked most of our fire, Liara pointing above.

“Some sort of shielding technology. Get his into the right position and we can end this quickly.”

So I charged and got in close. He moved fast for such a big creature, not using a sword but some sort of blade, as if he was some knight from the Middle Ages. The team was spreading around the room, opening fire, but the shields he was using were almost stupidly advanced, so I just egged him on, dragging him forward into the right position. I didn’t want a long fight. I wanted to end this quickly. We’d done enough fighting just to get here.

I chanced a glance and noticed he was almost in the right choice. So I lifted my shotgun and sent blast after blast into his body and face. His shields blocked nearly everything but it certainly pissed him off, and he charged at me. I had to move quickly and it meant he was out of position. Groaning to myself, I beckoned him forward. He was surprisingly cautious, and I thought he may have caught on to what we were trying to do.

So I put my shotgun away and cracked my knuckles, taking on a fighting stance. That simply made the Broker laugh. I could understand why. He was at least a foot taller, three times as wide, and probably ate humans for breakfast. So when I got in close, no fear whatsoever, and hit wherever I could, the bastard slammed the shield into my body. That sent me backwards, but he followed me, just as I wanted. I took another two, three, four steps back, beckoning him forward with my hand.

“Come on, big guy. Come and get it.”

Chancing a glance up, I was in the right position. The Broker only had eyes for me. Everyone else had stopped firing. I glanced to see Liara was getting ready. The smile on her face was almost pure evil. We were definitely fucking afterwards.

“Hey, big guy, you did forget about one thing,” I stated.

He stupidly came to a stop. “And what is that, Commander?”

I just pointed up. “That,” and then pointed at Liara, “And her.”

The last sound he made me chuckle as Liara summoned her biotics and tore apart whatever was in the roof. Looking away as there was an explosion, the light so bright it was almost like looking directly at the sun. When we looked back, there was no sign of the Shadow Broker, as if he’d faded into nothing. Liara looked at me and grinned before our hearing seemed to return. Turning around, we noticed a large bank of screens. We walked towards them. Most of it mean nothing to me, but Liara seemed to figure out most of it. “I don’t believe it,” she muttered, “No security whatsoever. Arrogant bastard thought no-one would ever try why we’d just done.”

“What are you thinking?”

The voices were insistent, asking for information, asking why the Broker had gone quiet. Liara looked at me again and I knew immediately what she was thinking. “Do it,” I said.

She cleared her throat before finding the button that would allow her to speak to everyone. "This is the Shadow Broker. The situation is under control. We experienced a power fluctuation while completing system upgrades. We experienced a momentary failure of all communications. However, all systems are now online. I want a status report regarding any and all operations within the next solar day. Shadow Broker, out."

Before anyone could ask what the hell just happened, the door into the room opened, all of us turning with weapons raised to see Feron leaning against the frame of the door, weapon raised, which he lowered immediately. “So now you’re the Shadow Broker?” he asked.

Liara shared another glance with me before she replied, “I am.”


	38. In the Name of the Father

We were both dripping with sweat. I was absolutely exhausted. So was she. Somehow, we still hadn’t stopped. “Shepard,” she breathed. I could only grunt as I continued to drive my cock into her, feeling her heels digging into my lower back, not wanting me to stop for a second. Her lips searched for mine, her tongue exploring, eager, fingers digging into my back, her nails definitely having left scratches. “Goddess,” she cried quietly.

I somehow found the energy to keep going, her pussy tight, warm, wet, eager to take my cock constantly. My hands caressed the back of her crest, having learned how sensitive they could be, her eyes widening with pleasure whenever my fingers lightly touched them. “Don’t stop,” she breathed before she kissed me, hunger and desire in one gesture, her eyes will with unbridled lust for me.

I moved my arms slightly, now hooking my arms under the back of her knees, almost curling her into a ball, really starting to drive into her. She moaned. She groaned. She squealed. She wanted, needed more. I couldn’t keep going forever. I’d already cum at least twice, or maybe it was three times. No idea how many times she’d cum by now. I didn’t keep count. We’d been going for what felt like hours. “Oh god,” I groaned.

“Close?” I nodded before I drove even harder into her. Her fingers dug into me even more as I leaned down to kiss and bite her neck, almost digging my teeth in like a vampire. She cried out when I did, feeling a hand on the back of my neck to hold me in place.

“Shepard!” she cried quietly.

Burying myself time and again, I finally orgasmed, groaning loudly as I felt my entire body drain itself of the final bits of energy it contained before I could do nothing but collapse on top of her, feeling her legs and arms immediately wrap tightly around my body, her soft kisses on my cheek. “I love you,” she whispered.

I looked up to see Shiala gaze at me with nothing but love in her eyes for me, leaning down to softly kiss her lips. “I love you too,” I whispered.

We were on our way back to Omega having left Liara and Feron back on Hagalaz. Liara T’Soni was now the Shadow Broker. After the shock of what we’d done simmered down, we sat down and discussed what would happen next. Liara would take over the network and use it to help me investigate anything to do with either the Collectors and the Reapers. She would use the influence of the network for the power of good rather than… well, the Shadow Broker wasn’t exactly evil, but could be a pain in the arse.

She had a lot of work to do, and knew I still had to deal with the Collectors. We stayed to rest and recuperate for a night before we had to leave. Liara was sad to see us go, obviously, particularly Shiala, thought the two asari came to agreement. Shiala would now split her time between Feros and Illium. Though she would continue assist the colony, Liara wanted Shiala to take care of her company on Illium. Shiala was delighted at being given the opportunity, and accepted immediately.

Approaching Omega, we gathered around the table. “Okay, people will likely realise we haven’t returned with Liara, but we say nothing about what happened. If Miranda was telling the truth, we won’t have to say a thing. Shiala, to help keep the cover story going, can you find your own way back to Illium, as I’m going to take the Normandy and head in a different direction?”

“Of course, Shepard. That will be for the best, I think. A return to Illium could prove to be a… distraction.”

I grabbed her hand with a grin. “A welcome one, but it’s time to focus our concentration again on the matter at hand. So, Garrus, Tali, Thane, Grunt, you’re all sworn to secrecy. I trust you of course, as does Liara, and Shiala too, of course. But we cannot let this information slip to anyone on the Normandy.”

“Loose lips sink ships, Shepard, so I won’t say a damned thing to anyone in Cerberus,” Tali stated.

“The secret is safe with me, Shepard,” Thane stated solemnly.

Arriving back on Omega, the docking bay opposite to where the _Normandy_ was currently docked, I messaged Miranda to let her know we had arrived back and to prepare the ship for departure. The others gave me privacy to say goodbye to Shiala, as the pilots of Liara’s ship had agreed to fly her back to Illium, before they returned to Omega, no doubt awaiting further instructions from Liara. She hugged me for a long time, perhaps thinking this would be the final time she’d see me before I went through the Omega Four.

“Last night was wonderful, Shepard,” she whispered.

“Yeah, it was pretty spectacular. Methinks someone was a little carried away.”

She leaned back to meet my eyes. “It was worth the slight discomfort I woke up with this morning, Shepard. I just… needed you last night, all to myself. Call me selfish…”

“Shiala, trust me, I understand. And I’m not complaining.”

“Liara has offered me her apartment, of course, so next time you’re on Illium, maybe just you and I…”

“Definitely. I’ll let you know when I’m next in the area.”

With a final kiss, she turned and headed back to the ship on which we had arrived, glancing back more than once before offering a final wave. Once she disappeared, I headed straight towards my own ship, Kelly waiting for me by the docking bay, running towards me and leaping into my arms, pretty much carrying her the rest of the way as she smothered my face in kisses.

It was nice to be wanted and appreciated. Only begrudgingly did she let me go, taking my hand instead as we passed through the airlock onto the ship. Joker was in position, ready to go, so as soon as I was on board, the airlock was closed, the docking clamps released, and we headed off back into space. Miranda was waiting by my terminal. “Where are we headed to, Shepard?”

“Not sure. I just figured getting away from Omega would be best for now.”

Miranda must have had word in the ear of every member of crew as no-one asked myself nor any of those who had been with me where we had been. They were all aware we’d been away on a mission. Even Chakwas didn’t know, and we all popped in to visit her upon our return, as I needed a couple of wounds seeing to. Tali had a suit breach, and despite a dose of antibiotics, she was feeling a little queasy, so she spent some time with the doctor as well. After checking my message, and of course there were thousands again, not literally though it sometimes felt it, I wandered around the ship, catching up with the crew.

Jack seemed to be in a better mood nowadays. Still dealing with a lot of personal issues, but aside from talking with Chakwas and talking to specialists over a vidscreen, she had actually found talking with Thane to be helpful. “He’s got this calmness to him that simply doesn’t fit what he has done for a living,” she said. She was playing cards with Zaeed as usual, the veteran mercenary also in a better mood, rather thankful for the fact we’d taken out Vido and I’d done nothing to stand in his way. Far as I was concerned, taking out the leader of the Blue Suns was only ever going to be a good thing.

Kasumi was pleased to see me, sitting down with her and gazing upon the stars as she filled me in with what she’d been up to while we were away, which generally involved sneaking around cloaked and eavesdropping on conversations. Though I wasn’t really one to listen to gossip, I did learn one or two eyebrow raising rumours which I would store in the memory for later, if I needed them.

I did wonder what Mordin kept himself occupied with, but asking what he did to keep himself busy, or at least amused, made me regret asking, mostly because I didn’t understand half of what he told me. In simple terms, he kept in touch with people from STG and performed a few experiments here and there. Nothing that could possibly cause the ship to blow up, at least. Otherwise, he was content working in his lab though admitted to wanting to go on another mission as soon as possible.

After a day and night of travel, I was about to ask Miranda about linking me to the Illusive Man to hurry him up about finding a Reaper IFF. I could understand that finding one would be difficult, but time was starting to be of the essence here, and I hated the fact we seemed to be just passing time, doing odd jobs, without really actually _doing_ anything worthwhile.

Then Thane approached me about a job.

* * *

Thane would admit that he had not gotten to know Shepard as perhaps as well as he could have done. They had talked often, of course, but Thane would admit he did not speak of personal matters too often. The wounds, the sense of loss, was still too great, and speaking of them again would only cause him to fall asleep once more. But after receiving word of his son, and of what his son was planning on doing, he knew that he must speak with Shepard and ask a favour of him. Shepard had already helped others on the ship, and hoped he would find the time to help him in his hour of need. He did not like having to approach him with such an important but personal matter, but when it came to his son, he would admit that he was also a little out of his depth. And that is what he must now confess to Shepard.

He walked into his quarters, already looking concerned. Thane could understand why. He rarely asked for anything. Was generally silent unless he was asked a question. He spent most of his time with Samara in meditation, keeping his mind sharp and focused, ready for the next mission. The only person he had spoken to at length was Jack, and that was only to help mend herself, imparting knowledge that he could only hope would bring her peace and comfort in the difficult years ahead.

“Kelly said you wish to speak to me?” Shepard asked.

He gestured to the chair opposite. “Please, take a seat, Shepard. I did ask Miss Chambers for a word with you. It is a private matter I wish to discuss. I do not like having to approach you about it, but with what lies on the horizon for us all, and the urgency of the matter in hand, I feel I must ask this favour of you.”

“Lay it on me, Thane.”

He couldn’t help the slight grin. Shepard had been approachable from the moment he had stepped on board the _Normandy_. He had observed the crew rally to his call and his cause, believing a number would turn away from Cerberus when it came for Shepard himself to walk away. He knew Shepard only remained to eliminate the Collectors. He was even starting to believe Miss Lawson would be willing to turn her back after everything she had learned.

“We have spoken about some aspects of my life already, Shepard. You are aware of the work I have done, and how I managed to deal with it, how I closed off that part of me and merely became a vessel that carried out the orders I was given. Battle sleep, I called it.”

“I remember. An interesting viewpoint in regards to the mind, body and soul.”

“I am aware it is rather different to any teachings on Earth but you listened and understood, and for that I am thankful. While I was asleep for many years, I was eventually woken up by… a woman. Irikah. My wife. For the first time in many years, I felt I was in the land of the living once again. She brought me peace, even joy, at least for a few short years. And she also gave me a gift. My son, Kolyat.”

“I wasn’t aware you had a child.”

“Not many people are, Shepard. You are the first to learn of this on the ship. I have spoken with many people about my life, the jobs I have done, even of Irikah, but I do not wish anyone to know about my son. Until this moment…”

“Okay, why?”

“First, you must understand what led me to this moment. I left my wife and son many years ago, Shepard. I have not seen my son since he was a boy. Before and after Irikah, I have always been good at killing people, Shepard. It is what I was trained to do. After I lost Irikah, I was ill-equipped to raise my son alone. While I left him, he was not alone. He has lived with family members ever since. He is loved and cared for, but as to his father, I have been kept up to date with his progress, but I have not seen him. It is for his own protection. Or, at least, I thought it was.”

“What happened to your wife?”

It was the only question he feared. He could close his eyes and still see her face. Her eyes. Nose. Lips. The scent of her perfume. Her smile when their eyes met. She could still hear her voice, the way she breathed his name when they joined, her laugh whenever he managed to tell a joke. He had always been serious, the job had forced him to close himself off from emotion for so long, that when he finally opened himself up, he wondered if he’d ever feel. When he did, finding love in his heart for someone else, it took time for him to simply understand.

“She was taken from me, Shepard. I walked away from the life when I met her. I tried to become… ‘ordinary’. I failed and I could not provide for my young family, so I returned to the life. Then people came and… took her from me.”

“I assume you didn’t just take that?”

“I did not, Shepard. That is why I left my son with family. I hunted down everyone responsible, from those responsible on the day, to those who ordered it. She was not meant to die, of course. They were after me. It was my fault that she was taken. It was then that I realised that my soul was black, that what I had been doing had brought darkness to the galaxy. Once I completed the task, I resolved myself to bringing light to the galaxy, to help restore order, to take down those who would bring pain and suffering to others.”

“Which is why we found you in Dantius Towers.”

“Correct, Shepard.”

“Okay, so what do you wish of me?”

“My son is… disconnected, Shepard. He is walking a path I never intended nor wished for him to follow. He was to never learn of the life I have lived.”

“Disconnected? How do you mean?”

“Correct, Shepard. Allow me to put it simply. The philosophy I have mentioned before. The body is not the true self. The soul is not the true self. Body and soul work as one to make a whole person. When the soul is weakened by despair or fear, or if the body is ill or injured, then the individual is disconnected. They are no longer whole.”

“Okay, I follow. But how does this apply to your son?”

"He is aware of my previous life. That should not have happened."

"Do you know how he found out?"

"I am unsure. I would like to know. Whatever the case, he has gone to the Citadel as he has taken a job as a hit man. I would like you help to stop him, Shepard."

"Of course. We'll get it sorted as soon as we arrive."

He bowed slightly. "You have my thanks, Shepard."

Shepard disappeared out the door as he rose and walked out of his quarters, turning and joining Samara in the lounge. She was meditating as always, legs curled in front of her, palms up as they rested on her knees, nothing but calm and relaxation. Removing his shoes, he sat next to her and relaxed next to her. They sat together in silence for a long time, at least an hour. The memories returned, as always. Flashes of his life. The lives he had taken. The pain and agony he had caused others. The brief moments of respite he had enjoyed. The joy he had felt when holding his son in his arms for the first time. The heartache and rage that overtook him upon finding Irikah. The hell he had unleashed on the galaxy when hunting down those responsible.

The journey to the Citadel ended up taking two days. Thane spent of the time preparing mind and body for the ordeal to come. Not only did he have to track down his son and stop him following the path, it would be the first time he’d seen him in years. The last time he had seen his son in the flesh, he had only been a small child. His son was now a man, eighteen years old, and he knew there would be anger and bitterness in his direction. His son would feel abandoned. A dead mother and an absent father. Little wonder he’d followed the same path.

Once the ship had docked, Shepard had the crew remain on the _Normandy, _perhaps anticipating a shorter stay on the Citadel than expected. He was also aware that Shepard had been warned off the Citadel. Not barred from visiting completely but he knew his presence, and that of his ship, would attract attention, raise eyebrows, and lead to some rather uncomfortable questions.

Waiting near the airlock, a few crew members did leave. He heard Shepard joke with Garrus about going to visit his girlfriend, Chloe, assuring the turian that he would have enough time to enjoy some ‘sexy times’ before they left. Mess Sergeant Gardner would be departing to purchase more food for the ship. One or two other crew members were departing to visit family and friends. Anyone departing, who usually wore the Cerberus uniform, was wearing clothing that did not contain the emblem, simply for their own safety.

“Ready, Thane?”

He took a deep breath. Calmed any nerves about what was to come. “Yes, Shepard. We should proceed immediately.”

Heading out onto the Citadel with Shepard, he noticed how relaxed the man was when out of uniform. Their time together off the ship was limited. He did not leave the ship whenever on Omega, and kept to himself when on Illium, aware of Shepard and his private life, and he simply did not wish to intrude. Walking alongside him now, despite the fact he did not wear a uniform, he still strode along with purpose, and the crowds simply seemed to part as they walked together, side by side. There was no doubt Shepard had a presence, though it was surprised so many seemed to recognise him. Or perhaps it was simply how he actually walked. Even without wearing the blues, he was still a soldier at heart.

Shepard took them straight to C-Sec, suggesting that drelll were so uncommon, it was likely they would have a record of the arrival of any drell. It made sense, and he was soon introduced to a Captain Bailey. He realised quite quickly that Shepard had a rapport with this C-Sec officer, and despite what looked like negotiation, Shepard called in a favour owed, and Bailey was able to provide the assistance they needed when Thane explained the situation to him.

"I'm looking for my son. I believe he has been hired by a local criminal syndicate to carry out a job."

Bailey wasn’t stupid. Drell were usually only hired for specific job. "A job? I'll be honest, don't particularly want to ask or know. One can assume what sort of job when it comes to drell. No offence."

"None taken."

"We don't get many drell here on the Citadel. Let me check our records, see what we can dig out."

Bailey was silent for a few moments and he typed away at his keyboard, making a grunting sound every so often before finally stopped. "Yep, figured. One my men reported seeing a drell recently. Hmmm, interesting…"

"Yes?"

"He was talking to Mouse. That certainly clarifies what I thought the job may be." Thane knew who Mouse was. Kids who lived on the streets used code names. He had used kids as his look outs whenever he worked jobs, and the Citadel was no different than anywhere else in the galaxy. Street children were more often than not ignored and overlooked. They could get into place that he simply couldn’t, overhear things that shouldn’t be heard otherwise. "You'd like him, Shepard," Bailey added.

"Why the hell would I like him?"

"Mouse runs all sorts of schemes. One of them was selling illegal VI personalities. Particularly one of you."

“Gods, that all I need, VI’s of me around the galaxy. I think one of me is enough at times.”

“Do you know where I can locate this Mouse?” Thane asked.

"You'll find him around here somewhere. He's usually seen loitering outside the Dark Star lounge. If Mouse can't put you in touch with your son, he'll know where you can find him or at least who to contact. But if you run into any roadblocks, head back this way and I'll see what I can do to help further."

"You have my thanks, Captain."

"Don't thank me. I've worked this Ward for more than two years. Seen too many kids turn to crime because their parents stopped caring or never gave a shit to begin with. You're trying to save yours. And I'll do anything I can to help simply because of that."

"He faces a dark path. I wish to turn him to the light."

He was aware of where the Dark Star lounge was located, the pair immediately heading in that direction. Much had changed on the Citadel between the attack on the Citadel and the present day, so Shepard didn’t know his way around as well as he used to. Thane knew where the Dark Star lounge was so helped guide the way. Approaching the club, he could feel and hear the bass from inside, the noise only increasing with a burly guard at the door opened it to allow someone new to enter. The line to enter, even at this time of day, was long.

He recognised Mouse immediately. Still a young man. No doubt still leading a life of petty crime. It had been years since he had seen him, though he figured Mouse would recognise him immediately. Thane looked at Shepard and gestured with his eyes. When Mouse finally noticed their approach, far too late from him to turn and run, he seemed to almost slink back against the wall in fear. Thane could understand why. He had never intended to scare any of the children that worked for him, but they had learned of his reputation.

"K-K-Krios, I thought… I thought you were retired? Oh shit. Oh shit. You're here to finish me, aren't you? I know too much, right?" Then his eyes glanced at Shepard. "Hang on, aren't you… You're Commander Shepard! I’ve seen your photo’s on the news! But… You're dead…" He fell silent, glancing between the pair of them, before he finally slumped. "Shit."

"Calm yourself, Mouse," he said, gently as possible, resting a hand on his shoulder, surprising the young man didn’t leap when he touched him, "We are not here to cause you any harm. We merely require information."

It was no surprise that Mouse was immediately defensive. Thane may have used him at one time, but that was long ago. He no longer held the young man’s allegiance. And even though he would fear him, information was his lifeblood. If others found out that he’d sold someone out, that would be his livelihood gone, in addition to putting his life in danger. “What information?” Mouse asked, “You know that sort of stuff doesn’t come cheap.”

"Come, Mouse. You know you will give me the information. Do not be defensive. I only require a name. You gave another drell information about an assassination. I merely wish to know who the target is."

"I don't know. You don't know the people I work for now, Krios. You were good to us. None of us will forget. But I'm not prepared to die for you."

"Do you trust me, Mouse?"

The young man looked between them again. Shepard appeared relaxed, not wishing to intervene. No doubt part of him would have slapped the kid around until he talked, but seemed to recognise Thane wished to obtain the information his way. "Yeah, I guess. I mean, you never did me or the other kids any harm. Your credits kept a lot of us fed."

“Help me now and I will ensure whoever you work for will not harm you. And you know I am the sort of person who can guarantee that.”

Another glance between the pair. He would have known of Shepard’s reputation. And Thane had a mystique about him. Mouse had trusted him long ago. And no doubt that trust still lingered in the back of his mind. "Okay. Fine. The other drell approached me. Said he knew you. Said he was looking for a job. Knew the code we used to confirm he was legitimate. So I ran through all the contacts I've built up over the years. Someone who'd give a rookie a shot. Eventually came upon a name."

"Who, Mouse?"

"Elias Kelham."

Thane looked at Shepard, who returned a shrug. "Who is this Elias Kelham?" Thane asked Mouse.

"He's a human. Been here for around a decade or so. He was a nobody for a long time. Small-time criminal. Never really looked like going anywhere. Ran into him once or twice when you were still active. Didn't like him then. Don't like him now."

"And now?"

"Now he's a somebody. Lot of big shots got taken out when the geth attacked. Now he's got plenty of cash. And people in his back pocket. He's near untouchable."

"Where's he based?"

"Shin Akiba."

“Thank you, Mouse. Are you contact details still the same? And your account details?”

“Of course.”

“Expect something by the end of the solar day. And rest assured Kelham will no longer be your problem.”

Mouse would believe him, of course. His reputation has earned him respect and fear in equal doses. And kids like Mouse had almost worshipped him at times as he had kept them safe. And there was no doubt the young man believed him as he no doubt believed he and Shepard would now either kill or intimidate Kelham.

Heading back to C-Sec for information in regards to Kelham, getting Bailey to help out was trickier. It wasn’t necessarily corruption that was taking place within the ranks, though C-Sec was as easy to corrupt as any organisation, but it was obvious that Kelham used power and influence to ensure he could continue his operations with interference. Bailey sounded disgusted, at least, so it seemed he may have been fighting the good fight but with limited success.

Bailey was helpful, stating he would have Kelham brought in for questioning but they’d have to sit tight until his arrival. They were shown to an interrogation room, Bailey stating that Kelham would be brought in, but otherwise, he would make himself scarce. There would be blowback against having someone with his influence brought in. Shepard simply thanked the man, assuring him he now owed him a favour now.

“What are you thinking, Shepard?”

“Bad cop. Worse cop. I’ll be the latter. If I’ve read this guy properly, even threats won’t work. We let him know that, in this room, there are no rules. We are in charge. He co-operates, or he dies. Simples.”

Thane wasn’t going to disagree with what Shepard had planned. He had killed many with the reputation of Kelham before. He’d be doing the Citadel a favour if he was left in a body bag somewhere, though as always the case, the vacuum left by Kelham being dead would simply be filled by someone else. There was always someone else…

Twenty minutes later, Shepard leaned against a wall, seeming to check his fingernails, Thane relaxing with his eyes closed against the wall, the door into the interrogation room opened, and a half-conscious man was dragged in by a pair of C-Sec officers. Dumped into the chair, Shepard stated he was a Spectre and dismissed them immediately. Shepard grabbed a glass of water from nearby, splashing it into the face of Kelham before tapping his cheek. “Wakey, wakey, sunshine.”

Kelham opened his eyes, blinking rapidly, immediately confused as he looked at Shepard first before himself. “Who the fuck are you two? Where am I?”

“C-Sec,” Shepard replied simply.

“C-Sec. I demand you…”

Shepard put a fist straight into his nose. “You don’t get to demand a goddamned thing.”

Still holding his nose, blood already flowing, Kelham glared daggers. “Who the fuck do you think you are? Where’s my advocate? I’m going to have your fucking badge for this!”

Shepard laughed. Thane thought it was positively evil, left thinking he was getting a kick out of this. Taking the pistol from his hip, Shepard jammed the barrel under Kelham’s chin. His eyes were immediately one of fear, staring at him, hoping he would intervene. He would not, unless Shepard looked on the verge of actually killing him. “Let’s get one thing straight here, bozo. You are not in charge here. I am, and my partner has questions. You answer his questions, we let you go. You don’t answer his questions, you have four limbs I can put a bullet in. Don’t answer a question, get a bullet. Understand? A simple nod or shake of the head will suffice.” Kelham nodded his head. “You may proceed with your questions.”

“You sent a young drell after a target. He is to assassinate said target. Who is he?”

“I don’t know.”

Shepard stood back and put a bullet into his right leg, the howls of pain echoing around the room. Thane looked at Shepard, who simply shrugged. “I warned him. He lied. Try again.”

Looking back at Kelham, he asked again, “You sent a young drell after a target. He is to assassinate said target. Who is he?”

Kelham delayed answering, Shepard levelling his pistol at his other leg. “I have another leg and two arms before I get towards the more sensitive areas. And you won’t bleed out before I’m done.”

"His name’s Talid!” Kelham cried, “Joram Talid. He's a turian running for office in Zakera Ward. He's running on an anti-human ticket. He's going to mess with my enterprises. I intend to stop him."

"Where and when?"

"His apartment. The 800 blocks."

He bowed. “You have my thanks, Mister Kelham. Have a nice day.”

Before they walked out, Shepard clocked Kelham across the jaw, knocking him out. As they were strolling out, they ran into a man, demanding access to his client. Shepard thumbed back into there room. “He’s having a little nap in there. He was also shot. Not sure by who. I think Mister Kelham needs to be more careful in regards to who he hangs around with.”

As they walked away, Thane could resist the slight grin as he said, "Shepard, I do believe that may go down as one of the shortest interrogations in history. I didn't think you had that in you."

“Please, I have no problem dealing with people like Kelham with overwhelming force and intimidation.”

Back with Bailey a few minutes later, he asked no question and they gave no explanation. Asking who Talid was, the C-Sec officer could at least give details of his movements and where they could find him. He also explained how Talid had become so popular as an anti-corruption advocate, but also one who was vocally anti-human. Bailey didn’t appear perturbed by it but Shepard didn’t sound particularly happy. But he still didn’t want to see the turian killed just because he held an opposing viewpoint, so Bailey offered to have them driven to the 800 blocks and they’d work from there.

Once dropped off, he asked Shepard to tail Talid from a distance, something he knew Shepard would not be used to, but he trusted him enough not to be seen by the turian, lest he believe Shepard was here to kill rather than protect him. As for Thane, he would follow from the shadows, ensuring he would be between Kolyat and the target when the time came.

In the end, finding his son wasn’t difficult. He was too young. Too naïve, Too inexperienced. And he made too many mistakes. When he finally came face to face with his son, he saw Irikah more than he saw himself. The colour of his skin. His eyes. Even his voice was a reminder. But he also saw a man. A young man, but a man nonetheless, confident in his abilities, confident that he would still somehow walk out of that room live. Shepard had his pistol aimed at his son, the pistol of his son at the head of the turian. It was a stand-off.

Bailey had obviously been monitoring their progress, because before anyone could say a word, the apartment was fill with at least three more people, including Bailey, his own weapon drawn.

"Kolyat," he stated quietly.

"Of all the times, now you show up? Is this some sort of sick joke?"

"Help me. Please!" the turian pleaded. Kolyat simply leaned forward, pressing the pistol into the back of the turians head, forcing it down further.

"Alright, son. I think this has gone far enough. Gun down," Bailey instructed.

"No. I'm walking out of here. And this piece of shit is coming with me. You're all going to get out of my way and let me leave."

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," Bailey stated.

"Put the gun down, Kolyat," Shepard stated gently.

"Who the hell are you?"

"A friend of your fathers."

The eyes of his son looked around, noticing that he had no chance. If he shot Talid, he would be dead seconds later. If he dropped his weapon, he still had a chance. With a sigh, he dropped the weapon and kicked Talid in the arse, the turian immediately rising to his feet and running out. "Sergeant, take the boy and his father back to the precinct. Give them a room and as much time as they need. Understand?" Bailey said.

"Of course, sir."

“You have my thanks, Captain Bailey. But I must ask why?”

"You think he's the only man who ever screwed up raising a son? And I figured you’d like some time to talk. I’ll do what I can to help, but this will be hard to look anything different than what it was.”

“I understand.”

Kolyat did not speak the entire time on the way back to the station. Shepard travelled separately, and gave father and son time to speak. Thane sat opposite his son in an interview room. There was anger in his body language. Anger he could understand. The conversation was one-sided at first. The only words he received were scathing, but with a lack of understanding about why… why he had left. What happened to his mother. What happened to him. The years he had spent tracking down those responsible. By the time he had returned, it was too late. So he left to pursue a different path. He answered the questions, whether asked or unasked, as best he could, to try and help his son understand. By the end of their conversation, he could only hope he had imparted at least some knowledge.

His last words of love. That he had loved his mother. And that he had always loved his son. In the darkest moments, it has always been the moment of his birth that had given him a true sense of purpose. Kolyat would likely never understand that feeling until he had children of his own, but it was the one reason remaining as to why he still lived.

Walking out of the interview room, he leaned against a wall and took a deep breath, calmed himself down, found his centre once again. Shepard obviously gave him a few moments before approaching. For once, there wasn’t a joke. Only a caring pat on the shoulder. Thane turned and offered his hand, the shake warm as he thanked Shepard for his help.

“My pleasure, Thane.”

“I will return to the ship, Shepard. I will meditate on the events of today. It is early days, only the first day, but I see a chink of light for the future, a door slightly ajar. It is not up to my son if he wishes to speak again. I will not push him to reconnect. I will understand if he does not. But I will now go into this mission with hope for the future once again.”

“Sounds like another good reason why this shouldn’t be a suicide mission then.”

“Before today, I would have gladly died to ensure its success. Now… now I hope to live, Shepard. I have not felt that in a long time.”

Thanking him again, Thane turned and began his walk back to the Citadel. He must have appeared content, even happy, as more than one person smiled at him on his walk back. It was unusual not to be stared at, people even recoiling slightly, whether in distrust, even fear. Back on the ship, he returned to his quarters, changing into new clothes before joining Samara once again. Getting into a comfortable position, he felt himself calm, and for once, the memories did not disturb him. He felt reconnected himself.

A hand grabbed his. “I am glad you are well, Thane,” said a soothing voice.

“I feel at peace, Samara. It is a feeling I am not used to.”

“Embrace the feeling, Thane. It is something that you will not wish to see diminish anytime soon, not with what lies on our horizon.”

They did not share any further words. At least for the next couple of hours.

* * *

Knocking on her door, I didn’t actually expect her to be home. It was late enough in the evening that people would have finished worked, but journalists worked off hours sometimes, or she could have been away on assignment, or…

I need not have worried. The door opened and I soon had a smaller woman than myself hugging me tight enough that it could have led to trouble breathing. Leaping into my arms wasn’t unexpected, I was ready for that, at least, managing to carry her inside, shutting the door with my foot, before I sat her down on a stool. Her lips found mine immediately, and it was obvious she was happy to see me.

“I didn’t know you were even here,” Emily said.

“Last minute thing. A colleague of mine needed some help. And since I was in town, I thought I’d come and say hello.”

“How long are you on the Citadel for?”

“No idea, to be honest. Long enough that I can take you out for dinner tonight, at least. What do you prefer? Fancy or simple?”

“Simple and close to home, Shepard.”

“Oh, and why would that be?”

“Because the last time you were here, we slept in the same bed but I didn’t want to do anything. I’ve been thinking about that ever since. The opportunities we have to be together are fleeting because of what you do. But it was such a shock to see you standing at my door again…”

I just hugged her tight to my body. I’d reunited with everyone since then but had only seen her the once. We’d messaged often, but messaging wasn’t the same as seeing each other face to face, or talking, and definitely not like being intimate. “Well, why don’t we order some food in then and not bother leaving?”

“I know the perfect place. Can I fit the stereotype of ordering Earth food at least?”

“I don’t mind what we eat. I’m sure you know the best places to buy from though.”

Half an hour later, we were sat together on her couch, small tubs of food across her coffee table, sampling each one as we chatted about our lives. Even though she was a journalist, I knew our conversation would be off the record, as I’d already promised her an interview as soon as I was out of the clutches of Cerberus. But I guess giving her a head up about one or two things wasn’t a bad idea either. She told me about some of the big news items she’d been involved in. Of course, absolutely no-one spoke of the Reapers anymore, completely written off by the Council, and even the Alliance seemed to be in full denial mode. Whether it was different back on Earth, or on Arcturus, I simply couldn’t know.

Finishing our meals, we finished the bottle of wine she had also bought, turning towards each other now, moving closer and closer until we finally kissed. Wine was forgotten about as hands started to explore once again. I couldn’t wait to get her shirt off, making her giggle as I practically ripped off her bra at the same time, lips and tongue immediately heading south to her breasts, feeling her hands wrap around my head as she gasped.

Moving down her body, she rested back as I removed her skirt, joking that she must have known as I coming before I moved her panties at the same time. I definitely licked my lips as she automatically spread her legs for me, beckoning me on to taste her. So I did, making her moan quietly as I ran my tongue up her slit. “Taste as good as ever, Emily,” I whispered. Corny, but it made her giggle again. And I wasn’t lying. Our brief times together during my chase of Saren had always been passionate and the sex had always been excellent.

Sex on a couch is generally awkward, so I picked her up and carried her into her bedroom, helping remove her footwear before joining her on the bed, resuming what I was doing before. I didn’t just focus on her pussy straight away, my lips finding other places to kiss around her body, finding those little zones that made her moan or giggle, before I moved back up to her face, and simply gazed into her eyes for a little while as my fingers gently played with her pussy, watching each and every reaction.

“Shepard,” she whispered, followed by a gasp.

“Miss me?”

“We should have made love the first time you were here. I’m sorry.”

“Emily, I loved that night we shared. It was nice just to reconnect. For me, it felt like barely a week. I knew it was much longer for you.”

“Should have made love, Shepard. God, I was so mad at myself when you left the next day.”

“I’m here now, so we can make up for it.”

Moving back down her body, I definitely spent time slowly bringing her to orgasm, not talking anywhere near as much, using my fingers to tease her along the way. When she started to beg and plead about needing to orgasm, I relented and did all I could to help it arrive. When it did, she cried out loudly, chuckling to myself as the neighbours would have no doubt heard. And, of course, I kept on going as well, pleased that she didn’t ask me to stop.

Her second one arrived only a few minutes later, and she needed me to stop after that one, her legs like jelly, she said. Then she giggled to herself, realising I was still dressed. I just lay down beside her, gazing up and down her naked body, enjoying everything I could see on display. Once she had calmed down and recovered, she set about taking off my clothes in return, and once she had me naked and on my back, cock in her hands, I was treated to one hell of a blowjob. Rather quickly, her head was bobbing up and down, watching her swallow my entire length each and every time, eyes continuously looking up into mine as I could only watch mesmerised at how eager she was to please me in return.

And considering I found eating out a woman a complete and utter turn on, it was no surprise my own orgasm wasn’t long in arriving. When I warned her I was getting close, she simply doubled down her efforts, bobbing up and down even faster, doing things with her tongue that I can’t even describe. I warned her a final time, and that was barely seconds before I groaned and almost thrust up into her mouth as I felt the sweet release again, relaxing back into the bed once I was done, no doubt with the same grin I always had after a woman had brought me to climax.

She definitely cleaned my cock with her tongue before I felt her lips gently kiss up my body before she relaxed into the bed beside me, wrapping an arm around her as she cuddled into my side. “That is what they call the entrée, Emily. Main course is up next.”

“Oh, and what would the desert be then?”

“Hmmm. Good question.”

Emily did only want one thing from me and that was to straddle my lap, slide down my cock, and slowly ride me. And I was perfectly happy to let her do that. The lovemaking was incredibly slow, but the kisses we shared were passionate, my hands all over her body, her hands running up and down my chest, or she would lean back and I’d watch her body move on top of mine, my large hands covering her breasts, running up down her back or stomach.

I’m not sure how long Emily rode me for, but I realised quite quickly that she was doing anything to delay her orgasm, picking up her pace for a little while before she’d slow right down, then she’d started to ride me a little faster again. Most of the time she was on her knees, though she did change slightly, feet flat on the bed, asking me to hold her hands, as she really started to ride me hard. To be honest, I was thankful that she’d blown me, otherwise I would never have lasted as long as she did.

When she did finally cum, it was only the once, and it was one of the most beautiful orgasms I’d ever witnessed. By the time it had passed through her body, she could barely move a muscle, her entire body turned to jelly. She could barely lift herself up off my body, yet when I tried to touch her, she gasped as her entire body was simply too sensitive. Even moving was too difficult, so I could only lie there until she found the energy to roll off my body.

Once she was with it again, she gasped and asked if I needed to cum too. Admitting that I did, she immediately spread her legs again and insisted we continue. She could barely lift her legs to wrap around me, but I wasn’t going to last long, her arms around the back of my neck as we made out. I only needed a few minutes before I finished inside her.

Then we showered and, once we were dry, went to sleep.

The next morning, I woke first and watched her sleep until her eyes fluttered open, and she immediately blushed. After the usual morning ritual, she cooked breakfast for us both before she really needed to head off to the office. “Are you heading off today or can you stay?”

“I would, but the longer the Normandy stays in dock, the more attention we’ll get.”

Thankfully, she understood, but I wasn’t just going to leave her then and there. We wandered out of her apartment and grabbed a cab, where I directed it all the way to her office building. Only when we were about to enter did I stop, pull her towards me, and kissed her. I’m sure we received more than one stare before we pulled apart. While her cheeks were starting to go red from a little embarrassment, the look in her eyes told me everything, and she kissed me again. Hard. The sort of kiss that ended with her moulded into my body, and if she didn’t have to go to work, we probably would have got back into the cab and returned to her apartment.

Finally breaking apart so we could breath, she told me to message as soon as I knew when I’d be back. That was an easy promise to make. That made her smile before there was a final brief kiss before she turned and wandered into the building. I received more than one curious look, no doubt being recognised, as news of my return was somewhat common knowledge by now. I’d been back long enough for the stories to spread and I think be confirmed.

Boarding the _Normandy_, I wasn’t the last one back so asked a message to any crew not currently aboard to return immediately. Within thirty minutes, Garrus was the last one back, apologising for being late, though I assured him he wasn’t. I just wanted to be away from the Citadel as soon as possible.

As the ship headed towards the nearest relay, I simply hoped I’d hear that we could finally take the next step in our mission to stop the Reapers.


	39. SSV Daddy Issues

Heading away from the Citadel, the first person I made sure to reconnect with was Kelly. Though we had still talked every day, I’d been so busy with other things that, when I was finally standing beside her again near the galaxy map, I suddenly felt a pang of guilt, wondering if she had been feeling ignored. I glanced every so often, and she appeared as relaxed as always. Any time she glanced my way and saw me looking at her, she returned that sweet smile I knew so well.

Heading downstairs, I grabbed two mugs and filled them with coffee, heading back upstairs and placing one at my small desk, before walking over to Kelly’s, placing the mug down as I stood behind her, gently kissing her neck, earning a light giggle. “You okay?” I whispered.

“Of course, Shepard. Why?”

“Just making sure. Been so busy lately, off around the galaxy doing other jobs.”

“Shepard, I know who you are and what you might be doing from time to time. Trust me, I definitely spend more time worrying about you than anything else, and you know I definitely will not get jealous. We’re back on the ship now so I know I have you to myself, most of the time.”

Wrapping an arm around her waist, she leaned back into me, lifting her head in a way that I could kiss her. “I think you are far too understanding sometimes.”

“I know I am. But I love you, and that is what matters in the end.”

Wrapping both arms around her waist, she relaxed back into my body, but I wasn’t planning on being naughty in the CIC. I just wanted to show her some affection, realising that I’d probably shown her some in recent days but I’d been distracted by other things. Now that we might have a day or two before the next crisis, I could focus attention on her once again. “Lunch upstairs?”

“You have plans, Miss Chambers?”

“Yes,” she replied bluntly, glancing back with a look in her eyes I knew very well by now.

“Okay. I’ll get some work done before we head upstairs.”

She turned around, wrapped her arms around my shoulder, and gave me one hell of a kiss, the sort that found her backed up against her small desk, bodies pressed together, and she would have felt my rising erection because of that. It made her grin as we broke apart, our faces centimetres apart. “Very good thing we’re not in the Alliance, Miss Chambers,” I whispered, “Otherwise we’d both be in a lot of trouble. Constantly.”

Figuring I would do my normal rounds, I headed into the armoury, expecting to find Jacob busy fixing up armour, or cleaning out and tending to the weapons. Instead, he was leaning on the workbench, brow furrowed as he appeared to be reading a datapad. So engrossed by it that I had to clear my throat to gain his attention. He looked up, blinking in surprise. “Sorry, Commander. I didn’t see you come in.”

“No problem, Jacob. Though I am intrigued as to what you’ve got there.”

“I want to say it’s nothing, Shepard, and it might just be that. But there’s something in the back of my mind that won’t let it go. But I’m not sure if we even have the time to investigate it.”

Leaning back against another bench, I said, “Well, tell me what’s going on and I’ll see what I can do.”

He looked at the datapad one last time before meeting my eyes and nodding. “Okay, Commander. Thanks. I’ll give you the bullet points. My father was an officer of a ship called the Hugo Gernsback. Second in command. Still remember the day he told my mother about it. He was often gone for weeks, months at a time, but always sent enough credits home so we mum could support the family. Then, ten years ago, he disappeared. No-one had a clue what happened to the ship. The company the ship was registered to didn’t bother sending out search parties to try and locate the ship. Honestly, after a few months, we just wrote my father off as missing, presumed dead. That was ten years ago now.” He leaned over, handing me the datapad. “I received this just the other week. A distress call has been sent out by the Hugo Gernsback. First time in a decade anything has been heard from the ship. How is that possible? Does that mean there are survivors? Is my father one of them? But my main question is why it has taken so long?”

“What do you think?”

“Whether my father is alive or not isn’t really the issue. I don’t believe it’s a faulty beacon or anything. I think there’s a chance there are survivors that have somehow managed to get the beacon working, or maybe this is the first time in a decade someone has taken any damned notice. Anyway, there are co-ordinates provided. Apparently the ship was scouting a new planet when the ship went down.”

I looked at the co-ordinates then headed outside to the galaxy map to punch them in. According to the data that pinged, little was actually known about the planet, named 2175 Aeia. The fact it still had a name like that meant it had only been located, perhaps probed, but never colonised. Turning back to see Jacob had followed me, I handed him the datapad. “We’ll head there straight away. The Illusive Man still has nothing for me yet in regards to the Reaper IFF, so we have time to take care of business. Once we get the Reaper IFF, I would like to spend time installing that while ensuring the ship is ready to go through the relay.”

“Thanks, Commander. I appreciate it. Guess you never stop wanting answers. I’ve written the man off as dead for years. Nothing but a ghost. Had barely seen him for years prior to his disappearance, so I wouldn’t claim to being upset, more… curious.”

“I get you, Jacob. Don’t worry about it. Sometimes, all we seek is an answer to the mystery. If we can lay the ghosts to rest, then you can at least move on knowing the truth.”

I carried on with work, Kelly eventually grabbing my hand, stating it was lunch. I was expecting to head downstairs to the mess first, but she pressed the button for our cabin. Once inside, she locked the door and was all over me in an instant, just kisses to begin with, but leading me to the bed. “So we’re doing this first then?” I asked.

“I can do corny, Shepard, so I’m putting it how I want it. Lunch today is my pussy. All you can eat.”

She was rather eager to get her clothes off, and she was definitely naked a lot quicker than me. Figuring that’s all she wanted, I gently threw her onto the bed and only kicked off my shoes as I joined her. She simply spread her legs and pointed to her sex, surprised to see it already glistening. “I’ve been daydreaming about it since we talked earlier, Shepard,” she admitted, actually looking a little embarrassed. For that, I did move up and gently kissed her. “The last time we were intimate was on Illium, with the others. Now I’ve got you to myself again.”

“Just my mouth?”

“Maybe your fingers too, though I love your tongue, Shepard. Very talented.”

“I get a lot of practice with you, Kelly.”

That made her blush again before I kissed down her body. She was definitely already turned on and by the time I was faced with her sex, I took a moment to simply inhale her scent, making her giggle before I ran my tongue over her slit, making her gasp. She knew I loved going down on her like this, so simply relaxed my body before starting to simply enjoy myself, earning plenty of light moans and gasps as I teased her, making her body shudder occasionally, and I always loved a woman arching her back when she was really turned on. Most of the time, she had her head rolled back, enjoying what I was doing, her hands either balling the sheet, though occasionally she’d sit up on her elbows and watch me. Not for too long, before she needed to relax back again.

I made her orgasm the first time with only my tongue, as once I switched attention to her clit, she could barely stand a minute before she needed to release. After that, I slid a couple of fingers inside, hoping for an even better second one. By the time she was close, I’m sure they would have heard her downstairs, the amount of noise she was making. She’d never been quiet, and I definitely approved. Nothing worse than a quiet lover. Tell me what you love and I’ll do it for you.

She needed me to stop after her second one, sitting back on my knees as she lay there, a heavy breathing, giggling, sweaty, exhausted but very happy woman. Leaning down to kiss her again, she did wrap her arms around my neck, the kiss very soft but meaningful. “Love you,” she whispered.

“Well, love you too, Miss Chambers.”

Laying down next to her, I found it amusing that I was still dressed with her naked next to me. Turning to cuddle into me, she asked, “Do you want any attention?”

“Not right now.”

“Sometimes you’re weird, Shepard.”

“What? I get just as much out of that as you, Kelly. Trust me on that one.”

We lay together for a little while before I suggested we do actually get something to eat. So she dressed as I slipped my shoes back on, and we headed down to the mess. It was empty by the time we arrived, though Gardner had noted our absence and kept two trays for us. Whether he knew what we were up to or not, he didn’t say.

After lunch, Kelly headed upstairs, a brief final kiss, knowing I would likely spend time with the crew. I spoke with nearly everyone over the next few hours, mostly just chewing the fat regarding the mission or simply sharing stories about our lives. I was certainly not a closed book any longer. Everyone was present for dinner later that evening, and afterwards, Chakwas asked if I wanted to join her for that long awaited drink. She made it clear the bottle was only to be shared between us so we could toast memories of our time against Saren. I thought it sounded like a great idea, not giving it any other thought other than we’d probably get a little drunk.

Sitting in the med-bay, we sat next to each other as she poured a couple of fingers worth in each glass before raising it for a toast. I’ll admit one thing straight away. She had excellent taste in liquor. Before either of us knew it, we’d polished off half the bottle and we both had a slight buzz going.

“So, Commander, may I be so bold as to ask a personal question?”

“Sure.”

“How many women are you sleeping with right now?”

“On the ship or…?”

“Just in general.”

“I’m not sure, to be honest. I’m not really keeping count.”

“I’ve been thinking, Commander…”

“Call me Shepard, please. At least when we’re here in private and especially if we’re about to broach this subject.”

Her eyes did sparkle for a moment. “Only if you call me Karin.”

“Deal. So, what have you been thinking?”

“I can’t forget that night Kelly organised a while ago, when I did something with you… so unexpected, particularly of me… but I’ve been thinking ever since…”

Before she could continue, I leaned over and kissed her, and I think that was just the answer she was looking for, placing her glass down as she grabbed the back of my head and pulled me in for an even better kiss. We made out for quite a while, and it was rather enjoyable. I eventually pulled her up onto my lap, straddling me though it wasn’t particularly comfortable for either of us. I eventually did pull away and asked, “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Just let me do two things.” She reached back and used the nearby keyboard. There was a click as the door locked, and the windows frosted over so no-one could see in. “Now we have some privacy, Shepard. So, what would you like to do with me?”

“Oh, the imagination is running wild now, Karin.”

“Mine is too, Shepard. I’m sure I’m not the only woman on this ship who daydreams about situations like this with you.”

I looked around and the only option was one of the gurney’s. And that didn’t exactly set the mood. I couldn’t sigh, as although I was keen, I didn’t want our first, perhaps only time, to be in the med-bay. I wanted it to be enjoyable, and I also wanted it to be comfortable. I kissed her again before suggesting we delay what we both wanted. “Next time we’re off the ship, whether it’s Illium or the Citadel. Not Omega. That’s a dump. But either one of those places, I’ll book us a room, and we can make a night of it. I would suggest the cabin but…”

“Kelly is up there.”

“She is, and she has asked that remain ‘ours’ for the most part. I’m sure if I took you up there with me, she’d even want to join in but…”

“If it happens only the once, I only want you, Shepard.”

So, I think to both our frustrations, we agreed to cool it for the time being and enjoy the rest of the bottle. Figuring we didn’t really need privacy any longer, she grabbed the bottle and we headed into the lounge which Kasumi called home. She was relaxing with a couple of others, Chakwas and I taking a seat on one of the lounges by the window. We had a couple more drinks, shared a few more stories, and also indulged in a little making out, feeling like a pair of teenagers feeling each other up. Even though clothed, I still felt her up, while she definitely ran a hand over my cock, as it was obvious I was just as turned on as her.

“Jesus, if you two want some privacy,” Kasumi joked from one of the other lounges.

“Sorry,” I muttered.

“Hey, we get it, Shep. No problem.”

“Want a drink, Kasumi?” Chakwas asked.

“Sure. What is it?” she asked, wandering over to the bar to grab a glass before sitting next to me.

“Serrice Ice Brandy. Shepard was kind enough to buy me a bottle recently. We were just enjoying some in the med-bay, talking about old times, but we decided we wanted a little comfort.”

“And getting a little action at the same time too.”

“Not as much action as either of us hoped,” she retorted gently.

Kasumi could only laugh. “Well, sometimes a good snog is enough to last you until it finally happens.”

“What about you, Kasumi?” Chakwas wondered.

“I have no complaints, Karin. I was wondering how far you two were going to go earlier though.”

“Not as far as either of probably hoped,” Chakwas admitted.

“What would you like to do with him right now?”

“Honestly?”

“Of course, Karin.”

“Blow him to completion.”

I could only stare at Chakwas. The tone she used suggested that she definitely wanted to do it. “Well, why don’t you do it then?”

“Oh, I couldn’t…”

Kasumi turned around for a moment before looking back. “There’s only the three of us here now, Karin, and I’m curious to see how far you’ll go.”

Karin sculled the rest of her glass before she stood up again, standing in front of me. She undid the buttons of her jacket, peeling that off to show that she only wore a rather lovely black bra underneath. Kicking off her comfortable boots, she then undid the button and lowered the fly of her trousers, revealing matching black panties. I was now rock hard, as though I knew her age, she was still a fine looking if mature woman. She sat down on my lap, knee to either side of my body. I handed my glass to Kasumi, hands immediately running up and down her back as she kissed me. As she did, I could feel her rub herself against my erection, an eagerness to feel it.

And she was an excellent kisser. As she did, I undid her bra, causing that to fall off, watching her lean back to show two smallish breasts, perkier than I’d have imagined. I immediately leapt on one of them, hearing her gasp as a nipple found its way into my mouth. “Shepard,” she breathed, continued to rub herself against my erection, her hands running around the back of my neck, moving from one nipple to the other.

Kissing back up her chest, I kissed her neck, earning a rather girlish giggle before I kissed her again. “I’m going to take off your panties now, Karin,” I whispered. She nodded eagerly as I lifted her off my lap, lying her down on the couch, slowly peeling them off to reveal her bare pussy. “Now, Karin, I would almost think you planned this.”

She blushed slightly but nodded. “You should be naked too, Shepard. I guess we are going all the way now.”

“Definitely.” I glanced back at Kasumi. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to give you some privacy. I’ll lock the door. I know you have the commands to unlock it later.”

“Thanks, Kasumi.”

“Enjoy yourselves, particularly you, Karin.”

Once the door was locked, I undressed myself, the eyes of Chakwas immediately going to my groin, as I was incredibly hard at the thought of making love to her. Lowering myself down, I kissed her softly on the lips, teasing her pussy with the head of my cock. I wasn’t just going to fuck her though, moving down her body, kissing soft over her soft stomach, until I had lowered myself to between her legs. I inhaled her scent as well, something I loved to do with each woman I was with, as they were each unique. Lowering my mouth, she moaned loudly when I tasted her for the first time. “Shepard,” she cries softly.

“I want you to cum for me, Karin,” I whispered back. She nodded eagerly as I slowly started to eat her out. Her body was still moving to a rhythm set by my tongue, feeling her push down at times in her need to feel me. Once she started to make certain noises most women made, I switched attention to her clit, only gently at first, but that definitely set her on the path to an orgasm. Not wanting to use my fingers, I grabbed one of her hands, locking out fingers together, as she was now using the arm of the lounge so she could look down her body.

“You’re beautiful,” I whispered. And she truly was. She had the body of a woman a decade and more her junior. Definitely looked after herself. Probably helped she spent a lot of time on her feet.

When she finally did orgasm, she could only enjoy one before she asked me to stop, relaxing back on the lounge as I simply kissed back up her body before I rested above her, just looking into her eyes. No surprise she kissed me hard for what I’d just done. “That was wonderful, Shepard,” she said softly, “It’s been quite a while since someone so young has pleasured me in such a manner.”

“Our age gap isn’t that significant.”

“Enough to raise eyebrows, Shepard,” she said with a little humour

We lay like that for a little while, continuing to make out, before she placed both hands on my chest, pushing me back. She then sat up before standing and moving in front of me. A hand on each knee, she spread my apart before kneeling down between my legs. “Oh…”

“I said I wanted to blow you, Shepard. So, you just sit there and enjoy it.”

Doctor Karin Chakwas proved one thing. With age comes experience. And with experience comes eye-rolling, earth shattering orgasms. My god, that woman knew her way around a cock better than nearly any woman I’d been with. She drew out my orgasm for so long, by the time I blasted down her throat, I actually did pass out for a few seconds. She kept pleasuring my cock until it finally started to soften, not completely, but enough to suggest that fun time was over for a few minutes. She hummed to herself quite happily as she moved to sitting back on my lap, resting her head against my chest as I wrapped my arms around her.

“I’m not sure if this should only be a one-time only thing or not, Shepard.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Getting attached in this job isn’t a good idea. I’ve thought about this for so long, but have tried to convince myself that it’ll be a bit of fun and that’s it. I know your relationship with Kelly and some of the other women.”

“You don’t mind it being just a fling?”

The question made her laugh. “Shepard, most of my romantic involvements have been little more than flings. My life has been dedicated to the medical profession and the service. My physical needs… they’re not ignored, but there are certain things women can buy to keep them content.”

I ran my fingers though her hair. “Well, I’m certainly not going to deny you some pleasure if you want it, Karin.”

“I know, Shepard. But, as I’ve said before, sometimes getting attached isn’t a good idea. But that’s for the future. Right now, I just want to enjoy the moment of making love with the Saviour of the Citadel.”

So, once I was rock hard again, Chakwas lifted herself up and slowly slid down my cock. And we made love, the kissing constant and endlessly passionate, sitting forward so our hands could caress each other. I let her control the tempo and rhythm, though eventually I rolled her onto her back and started to take control, positioning her in a manner I knew would help make her orgasm as much as myself.

“Shepard,” she breathed.

“You’re wonderful, Karin,” I whispered back, earning a smile.

“Not bad yourself, Shepard.”

“We’ll have to do this again, if you want.”

“I’ll think about it. Let’s just focus on the now.”

We must have made love for… a while. Long enough that she enjoyed two orgasms, the first one taking her by surprise, the second one she definitely enjoyed, feeling her squeeze my cock as she dug her fingers into my back, legs now wrapped around the back of mine as she quietly moaned my name. Burying my head into her neck, she urged me onto finish myself, and only then did I really up the tempo and say I truly did fuck her, and after I’d cum too, we lay moulded together on the lounge until we’d caught our collective breath.

“Enough to make me feel twenty years younger, Shepard.”

I lifted myself up onto a forearm, my cock still relatively hard inside her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Karin. The only thing that would even suggest you’re older is the silver hair.”

That earned me a soft, grateful kiss. “You are a real charmer when you want to be, Shepard.” She moved, moaning slightly, “And I really don’t want this to end, but three in one night is exhausting. I usually just make myself orgasm once before going to sleep.”

I pulled out and sat back as Chakwas sat up, no doubt leaking cum but neither of us really cared at that moment, feeling her curl up into my side, wrapping an arm around her in good measure. The bottle was sitting on the ground nearby, so I picked it up and took a sip, offering it to her. She laughed, but drank straight from the bottle as well. “Well, I think this helped lower the inhibitions at least,” she said with a chuckle.

“No complaints from me.”

“Me either, Shepard. Tonight has been wonderful. The sex was great, but just having your undivided attention for a few hours as well.”

We did eventually have to get up and dressed, as Kasumi did have to sleep that evening. After dressing helped clean up, wiping down the lounge at the same time, Chakwas not even bothering to put on her underwear. Opening the door, we found Kasumi in the mess, thanking her for understanding. Chakwas about to walk off after a kiss when I took her hand, and without a word, led her to the elevator. When I pushed the button for the cabin, she was about to ask a question when I simply kissed her and assured that it would be okay.

Kelly was lying back in bed when Chakwas and I walked in. She already knew what I’d been up to, of course, and knew why I’d invited Chakwas upstairs. To sleep, nothing else. I wasn’t going to sleep with her then part ways. I invited Chakwas to join me for a shower, which she certainly leapt at the chance of doing, Kelly joining in at the same time. Nothing overtly sexual, plenty of compliments from Kelly directed at Chakwas, while the latter simply understood why I found Kelly irresistible.

Heading to bed, there was no clothing required as I lay down, Kelly to one side, Chakwas to the other. And it was no surprise that Chakwas couldn’t resist one last chance with me, eventually climbing into my lap and sliding down my cock again. And not wanting Kelly to be left out, she sat on my face. It was certainly a lot of fun, each of us enjoyed at least one orgasm, and then we lay back again, definitely satisfied with life.

“Ever been with a woman, Karin?” Kelly asked.

“Of course. I’ve certainly done my fair share of experimentation.”

“Any time you want to have some fun up here, I won’t say no.”

“I’ll certainly take that under consideration.”

I think we’d worn her out, as Chakwas was soon fast asleep, curled up next to me, her head nestled on my shoulder, her hand resting on my chest. Kelly did the same thing on the other side. “Banging body for her age,” she whispered.

“Definitely.”

“Want to do it again?”

“We’ll see. Good chance it was a one time, get it out of the way, kind of thing. I’ll leave the ball in her court in regards to any future liaisons. If we just end up close friends, I can live with that.”

Kelly wished me goodnight and got herself comfortable at the same time, falling asleep herself. I could only lie there for a little longer and think about my life so far, particularly since my return. One could only shake their head and almost laugh at their good fortune.

* * *

Jacob could only wonder how his life had come to this, sitting in the shuttle alongside Shepard, Miranda, Garrus, Grunt, Samara and Kasumi, descending to what had been described a possible garden world, with a beacon on the planet stating that his father was possibly alive. EDI had also noted a wreckage, which they would land near, that was like the _Hugo Gernsback_.

Shepard seemed relatively unperturbed by it all, seeming to take a wait and see approach. He still wondered who had even sent him the datapad. It had simply been lying on the workbench one morning. He figured it was probably Miranda, though he hadn’t questioned her about it yet, not particularly wanting to get into an argument with her about it.

“The man’s a ghost. Why now?” he muttered, earning more than one glance in his direction, “It still doesn’t make sense in my head. That’s all,” he added.

No-one asked him any questions, perhaps warned by Shepard not to delve too much into what was obviously a touchy subject. Feeling the shuttle touch down, Shepard opened the door as usual and stepped out. He carried his shotgun, though it was obvious he was relaxed, a quick survey of the area before he gestured for everyone to follow. Stepping out, he looked around and had to admit to surprise. The air was more than breathable, considering there would be next to no pollution due to it being uninhabited. It was warm but comfortable. The fauna on display shared many similarities with those on Earth and other colony worlds. It looked like paradise.

Once everyone had disembarked, the shuttle ascended and the group moved off, Shepard using his omni-tool to track the location of the beacon. That lay only five minutes away, the wreckage of the _Hugo Gernsback_ looking ahead in the distance. He was expecting it to be nothing but a wreck, spread across a large region in numerous small parts. But it seemed to be in rather good condition, considering it had plummeted to the ground at a rate of knots, and had been little more than a wreck for the best part of a decade.

It was clear that people had survived, as even a cursory inspection showed it had been stripped of parts. Finding the beacon, it was the ship VI, so perhaps this could give an explanation of what happened on the fateful day.

“What happened to the ship?” Shepard asked.

_"Captain Harris Fairchild reported killed during unscheduled suborbital descent."_

“Who took command?” Jacob asked.

"_First Officer Ronald Taylor was promoted under emergency command protocols. Other flagged issues include unsafe decelerations, local food and neural decay and beacon activation protocols."_

Jacob was already suspicious of the entire thing. Now a very bad feelings started to settle in his stomach. Shepard looked at him and gestured, leaving him to investigate the details. It was his mission, after all. “What’s wrong with the local food? What sort of neural decay are they suffering?”

"_Impairment of mental function due to chemical imbalance begins with seven days of ingesting local flora, regardless of decontamination or preparation. Impact of cognitive abilities and long-term memory significant within a standard month. It is unknown if neural decay is permanent."_

“Seven days? They must all be dead by now then,” he muttered, glancing at Shepard, “So how has this beacon suddenly been activated then?”

“That’s a rather good question, Jacob.”

Jacob nodded. “VI, explain why you have only recently been activated? Why has it been ten years since the crash?”

_"This emergency beacon became functional after 358 days, 12 hours, following the unscheduled suborbital descent of the Hugo Gernsback."_ All seven of them shared more than a glance. That bad feeling he was experiencing was likely creeping up the back of everyone now. _"Activation was triggered remotely after eight years, 237 days, seven hours on the authority of Acting Captain Ronald Taylor."_

They immediately split up, searching the ship again for any sign of what happened to the other survivors, crew members that would have reported to Taylor, anything that would suggest where the survivors were. Six of them had gathered outside when Garrus trudged towards them. He found turian faces inscrutable most of the time, but the way he walked suggested he’d found something that shocked him, handing a datapad to Shepard. “Listen to this, Shepard. It’s… grim.”

The seven of them listened in stunned silence. The confession lasted less than a minute, but it was enough. Paradise was immediately ruined. Instead, it sounded like a version of hell few could really imagine. Shepard had seen and heard enough by now. “Okay, this is what we’re doing. We looked for survivors. If they’ve been living off anything on this planet, they’re going to be pretty fucked up. We go looking for any officers. If they’ve survived, we question them about what has happened since the first day they arrived here. And we find your father, Jacob, because I’m sure you have plenty of questions for him.”

They found a lone survivor within five minutes of leaving the ship behind. A clearly terrified woman and one who had clearly been subjected to the local fauna for years. They could barely understand her at times, and whenever she did speak, it was like talking to a small child. And the way she spoke about ‘the leader’ sent a shiver down their spines. It was clear she had been kept around as some sort of slave.

Then they ran into the ‘hunters’, who appeared to be male survivors, likely also suffering neural decay, and they were aggressive. Shepard stated before opening fire that he would prefer to capture one or more of them, but the hunters wouldn’t go down without a fight, and they didn’t seem to know what surrender meant. Even when injured, they would keep trying to fight. They knocked at least a couple of them out but it appeared unlikely they’d make any sense when they woke up.

Moving on after tying up the two men who still lived, patching their injuries as best they could, and taking the woman with them, Kasumi taking her hand and leading them on, they followed what looked like a well worn path. What they discovered next definitely surprised them as they entered an encampment, every single one of them women. Shepard gestured for them to store weapons immediately, the women nothing but docile. Though when they saw his face, there was a mixture of curiosity and fear as they approached him, and what they had to say soon had his stomach doing flips.

Shepard made a decision immediately, calling the _Normandy_ and asking Chakwas to head planet-side immediately. Miranda offered to remain with the females once Chakwas arrived, which he thanked her for, and Kasumi offered to stay as well, clearly upset by what they had discovered. Jacob simply had to walk away, as it was obvious to him that his face was unsettling them.

Just as they were about to leave, a lone female approached them. She seemed to be with it more than the rest. "Please. Wait. You look familiar… But you are not him. I saw you before, with the others. You… helped. He does not help. He has made many promises. We… try to please. But he angers quickly. But you… You could stop this." She turned around, bending down and grabbing something from what appeared to be a rucksack, standing back up holding a set of datapads, handing them to him. "I forget what these are called… But this will have… what you need. To know what he has done. What happened…. before. Can you take us to the sky? He promised us the sky."

"We're from the sky," he heard Shepard state gently as he started to read over the information, "Why don't you go join the others? We're here to help. We will take you to the sky." The woman looked on the verge of tears at the news, before she simply meekly nodded her head and hurried over to where Miranda was currently helping. From reports in their ear-pieces, Chakwas had already arrived, alongside other female crew members willing to help out.

The small group read the datapads. Looking at it dispassionately, objectively, you could almost… almost see the reasoning. But while it would have made sense ten years ago, whatever happened after that beggared belief. Whatever the case, it seemed Acting Commander Ronald Taylor would be facing some serious questions in regards to his conduct. But when it came to what was explained in regards to the women, that’s when hearts definitely hardened. Hell, people made jokes about Shepard and all his women, but he didn’t need to feed women drugs and keep them as pets to have them fall for him.

They moved on, running into a few more of the hunters, but they mostly dealt with mechs, which were easy for all of them to deal with. Shepard spent half his time charging around, smashing mechs to bits upon colliding with them, and those that didn’t received a shotgun blast to the chest. He lost count of how many mechs they must have taken down, but it appeared his father had kept a small army of them, no doubt to keep him safe from everyone else. While there might have been a cabal of officers to begin with, it seemed that there was now only one person in charge of the colony.

"_This is Captain Ronald Taylor. Thank god you're here! My crew went insane. I only just got free!"_

Everyone shared a glance and shook their head. “Well, that’s bullshit,” Shepard muttered.

“We’ve got all the evidence we need, Shepard. If we arrest him, he gets the book thrown at him. Or you can judge this in your role as a Spectre.”

“And you would be okay with that?”

“The man we’re looking for right now? Don’t know him. My father died ten years ago.”

The group moved on, continuing to find mechs and put them down. The five worked as methodically as always. Mechs were never going to pose a serious challenge. Even their number wasn’t really a concern, but it would be annoying to get shot by one. More embarrassing than anything else.

"_Careful! I automated my defences after the crew turned violent. They keep attacking! I had no choice. I had to do it to protect myself."_

There was no doubt the revelations had pissed everyone off in their small group. Miranda reported the initial findings of what Chakwas had found, left wondering if any of the women would actually recover from their ordeal. Would their brains recover from ten years of poisonous food? And not just that, it had been noted on the datapads that the women had been used a little more than sex slaves. That was a polite way of saying they’d been raped by the officers for god knows how long.

He was fairly sure they were approaching some sort of encampment when the voice of Taylor echoed around again. "_It took years to train my guards. I'm afraid you'll have to fight them to rescue me."_

Now he heard Shepard laugh. It was the sort of laugh that would send a chill down the spine of the enemy. "This fuckwit thinks we're here to _rescue_ him? He's delusional. I mean totally off the fucking deep end. Bat-shit fucking insane. Oh, we end him here."

Jacob was left thinking he was going to put a bullet in him, and he wasn’t going to stop him, because he was left believing he’d do it himself. No trial. No judge. No jury. Just one bullet into the head, end it here. The guards flooded forward, but while they might have been crazy, they were not talented. Frontal attacks never work, so they were put on the ground with ease, Shepard taking delight in charging around the field, colliding and shooting as he did. The only pause for concern was a giant mech, which the group hacked and blew up after a few seconds. They’d worked together for so long now, even the strongest of mechs couldn’t stop them for very long.

The encampment had high walls, made from all the boxes and crates taken from the vessel. The door leading into it was taken from the ship as well. It didn’t open for them, so Garrus stepped forward to hack into it. Once it opened, Shepard strode through, storing his shotgun but taking out his pistol. What they could see is that whoever lived in the small camp did so in comfort. If you forgot about everything they’d just witnessed, there was enough to suggest this would have been a lovely place to live.

Then he saw him. The man who had once been his father. The resemblance was uncanny. There were more lines on the face than he remembered. Hair a little greyer. And he was slimmer, though that would be understandable. But the distinct, deep voice had been the same. As were the eyes. There was no sign of him having ingested any of the food. No, he was crazy for other reasons. He looked around, noticing a comfortable bed, desk and chair with a working terminal on it, a refrigeration unit, and various other things that would have made life tolerable, at least.

"You're here! Sorry if the mechs caused you any issue. As I said, I had to program them to keep everyone at bay." He paused, obviously looking them over, five heavily armed individuals. "You appear to have had little problem, though." No-one said a word. Shepard looked on the verge of shooting him straight away, but no doubt would want to hear a confession before doing so. "I tell you what, I'll have a load of back-pay coming once we get back home. I'll make sure I get you all something as a way of saying thank you for saving my life."

Shepard growled and strode forward, grabbing him by the collar and dragging him to the desk, throwing him into the chair. “You have questions to answer, Acting Commander Taylor. And by god, you had better answer them.”

Now their eyes met and there was at least a question in his eyes. No doubt he saw himself in the face and eyes, though he doubted that the Acting Commander would truly believe his son had come all this way. "I take it you mean the crew?" Taylor asked, looking around to receive at least a couple of nods. "The food here… It's toxic. Turns them… wild, I guess. But there was little that could be done. And they treated me like some sort of deity, propped me up here, rituals and all that."

Shepard burst into laughter. Jacob could only scoff at the response. “That’s your excuse, your reasoning for everything that happened here.” He threw the datapads they’d gathered along the way. “Read those, _Acting Commander_, and tell us the same story again. If we were to take you back to Alliance space, they’d throw you in jail and lock away the key. Shepard, do whatever you want with this man. My father died ten years ago. This man in front of me is nothing but a ghost.”

Now the eyes met his again. “Jacob?”

“Operative Jacob Taylor. You’ve been dead to me for at least ten years. You should have stayed a ghost, Ronald. It would have worked out better for us.”

“What do you mean?”

Jacob looked at Shepard. “Your choice, Commander. I will hold no grudge no matter what you choose to do.”

Shepard had already made his choice, hauling Ronald to his feet. Grabbing his collar, he dragged him so they were face to face. “I will give you one choice, Ronald. You can either see it coming. Or not.”

“You can’t…”

“I’m a Council Spectre. You probably don’t know that because of the life you’ve been living here. Trust me, no-one is going to argue about the summary justice about to be handed out. All those women deserve to know you are dead, and trust me, part of me would love to get medieval on your arse, really inflict some pain before I sent you to hell. But no, a bullet will be enough to satisfy what I want. So, I ask again, do you want to see it coming or not.”

Ronald gulped, eyes looking around for salvation, but he had no hope of that whatsoever. “Jacob, please…”

Jacob simply turned and walked away. He was walking through the gate when he heard the sound of a gunshot. Stopping just past the gate, he was soon joined by the four others. “Are we done here?” he asked Shepard.

“We’ll join Chakwas and the others. I’m not entrusting Cerberus to handle this. I’ll put a call through to the Alliance and ensure they come pick them up. We’ll talk to those who seem capable of understanding and explain what is happening. With any luck, they won’t be here longer than another day or two before they’re rescued.”

“That’s fair, Commander. And, despite everything, thanks. At least I’ve laid that ghost to rest now.”

“Trust me, it felt righteous, Jacob. But I can understand why you walked away.”

“The man I knew and loved died long ago, Commander. The man I met back there? No idea who he was. He wore his face but he wasn’t the same.”

Heading back to the female camp, he stuck to the edges, not wanting to frighten the women any more than they already were. The shuttle returned quickly and he took off with the others, only Miranda, Chakwas, Shepard and a few other women staying. Shepard was taking command but keeping distance from the females himself.

The crew was down there for at least most of the day, returning in the evening, ship time, Shepard reporting that an Alliance ship was already on the way, so he wanted to leave as soon as possible. Though he had relayed all the information possible, he had piled up all the datapads and anything else they needed near the camp. He had also informed them about Taylor and where his body could be located, though he figured the Alliance wouldn’t actually bother with him.

Word spread quickly about what they’d found, and everyone was disgusted. But he appreciated the kind words he received from everyone, not judging him by the actions of Ronald. They seemed to agree with how he thought about. His father had died ten years ago.

The next morning, he was down in the gym when Shepard appeared. As usual, they worked out in relative silence, helping out each other when it came to doing weights. Shepard would not be weighed down with any guilt regarding shooting the man. Jacob had seen him hand out summary justice more than once, and knew he’d done it plenty of times before his death. Jacob would admit that he simply wanted to forget all about it.

“He ruined paradise, Shepard,” he finally said once they were sat down, sipping at a bottle of water each, “Yeah, the food was bound to send them all crazy anyway, but fucking hell, the regime he instituted… not only how he treated his fellow officers, which verged on barbarity, but the women…”

“Situations like that effect people differently, and it seemed Ronald Taylor gave into his darker urges.”

“He used them as sex slaves, Shepard. Each time he had sex with one of them, it was rape. Fuck, I know I’m going to look in the mirror and, in the back of my mind, see his face and know what he did.”

“But you’re not him, Jacob, that’s what is in your favour. So all you can do is be your own man. Earn your reputation. For everyone woman on that planet, do a good deed in their name instead. Kind of like Thane, in all honesty. Bring light to the darkness.”

“Didn’t think you’d buy into all his mumbo-jumbo.”

“I don’t really, but I can see it brings him peace, so I’m not going to criticise. And I can also see what he means about light and dark, connect and disconnect. But, more importantly, he might have been your father but that doesn’t mean you are or have to be like him. You are clearly your own man, Jacob. Forge your own path. Don’t forget what he did, so simply work to put it right.”

“Still want to know who sent me the information.”

“You know who it was, Jacob.”

“You think it was her?”

“Of course. No idea why, but it was definitely her.”

So he went to talk to her about it later that day. Walking into her office, she seemed to realise straight away as he took a seat, hearing the door lock behind her. He sat and stewed for at least a couple of minutes before he simply asked, “Why?”

“I thought you would want to know, Jacob. I had no idea it would have ended like that, but at least it has resolved it, yes?”

“Well, it has, but I didn’t think you’d even remember.”

“I promised, when you told me the story, that I’d do what I could, Jacob.”

“Part of me wants to thank you, Miranda. The other part really wants to hate you as it simply wasn’t what I thought would happen. I didn’t expect a happy family reunion, nor did I expect the horror show we discovered.”

“But at least you _do_ have closure, Jacob. Surely that was the point of going to find him.”

“It was, and I do have it, but some of that shit is going to haunt me for a while.”

“You’re not the only one, Jacob. What some of the women managed to tell us… Your father wasn’t the only one, but once he took complete control…”

“That’s why I’m glad he’s dead. If Shepard hadn’t shot him, someone else would have killed him in the end. I’m sure Samara would have liked getting her hands on him.”

“Possibly. But at least we rescued them. Shepard will let us know when the Alliance has collected them.”

He paused again before he asked, “Why, Miranda?”

“We were once close, Jacob. You’d never told another person about it. When you told me, I knew I had your trust. And having earned it, I guess I just wanted to help. Despite everything, we were good together. But mixing personal and professional was never a good idea.”

“It was fun while it lasted, I can admit that. Though if you claim that…”

“Once or twice at most, Jacob. Not that it’s any of your business, but he’s made it clear that… well, while he would like to more often…”

“Hey, I’m just wondering. I know the man has a reputation and all. Showed that sensitive side he rarely does today. I’ve never seen him so angry.” He got to his feet and walked to the door, Miranda unlocking it so it opened, before he turned back. “Say, Miranda…. It was fun, right?”

The smile that formed surprised him. “It was, Jacob.”

“You ever think about… having some more fun? Are you pining for Shepard or…”

“Are you suggesting something, Jacob?”

“Well, we were good together for as long as it lasted, particularly the physical side. So…”

“Jacob, are you asking your senior officer if she’d like to fuck?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She nodded. “Not tonight. Not after what we found. I’m going to need a good shower or two.”

“Me too. Trust me, I was talking about later.”

“Then yes, Jacob. Resuming what we started would interest me. You just let me know when you’re willing, and we’ll go from there. Are you after something purely physical or…”

“Just physical, Miranda. As Garrus says, got to pop that heat sink every now and then. And, well, I still remember how good it was.”

“I’ll talk to you later, Jacob.”

“See you at dinner, Miranda.”

Heading back upstairs, at least the issue was now resolved and he could focus him mind on the task at hand. Finding the datapad, he wiped the information and handed it to Kelly to be used again. Otherwise, he organised the weapons that had been taken out on the mission and began to strip them, getting them ready for the next mission.


	40. Guilt

We were on our way back to the Citadel which, I’ll admit, did annoy me slightly as we’d only just been there. But Garrus has asked if we could head there, as he thought he finally had a breakthrough in regards to finding the person responsible for the deaths of all his companions on Omega. For so long he had thought he had been the one at fault, that’s he’d made a mistake, become sloppy, or he’d been arrogant in his approach to taking down those he wanted on Omega. But something seemed to be on his mind ever since he’d joined the _Normandy_, and he finally approached me not long after we’d left Aeia behind. He didn’t explain too much, just asked if we could go to the Citadel, and he’d explain later. I agreed, of course.

That was two days ago now. He’d barely been out of the front batteries since, except for meal times, and I knew he was probably stewing on something but it didn’t really feel like my place to intervene. Garrus would come and talk when he was good and ready.

Heading back to the Citadel wasn’t something I had been planning, but as many of the crew had not had the opportunity to get off the ship last time, I organised with Miranda time for everyone to have the chance to get off and at least stretch their legs this time. I wasn’t planning a stop of any more than two nights, though she did have to joke if I would be visiting anyone special during our visit.

“Actually, I was thinking of treating someone or some people to a night on the town, and maybe a fancy hotel room afterwards.”

“Oh, and who would that be, Shepard, considering there are a few options?”

“Well, depending on how things go, it might even be more than one person.”

“Kelly?”

“Of course.”

“Honestly, after that, it could be anyone. What about… Tali?”

“If she were to join me, it would be for dinner and drinks only.”

“Hmmm… Chakwas?”

“Will be invited, but it’s up to her if it goes anything further than a nice evening out.”

“Kasumi?”

“I think she’d rather anything happening between us occurring in private.”

“Emily!”

“She’s invited and has already said yes to meeting up.”

“Um… Jack?”

“Has been invited, but as you might be aware, our physical relationship has cooled. She might come along for the dinner and rinks though.”

“Me?”

“Are you sure you want to come, Miranda? What about Jacob?”

I loved her reaction. One of stunned silence, jaw dropped wide in surprise. Like I wouldn’t have heard the rumours about her little conversation. I wasn’t jealous at all. But I was surprised she thought people wouldn’t put two and two together. “We haven’t done anything yet. I’m not sure if I’m even planning to, but he seemed interested in at least rekindling a physical relationship.”

Shrugging, I replied, “Whether you have or not isn’t any of my business, Miranda. Are you interested in him?”

“Physically? Yes, I won’t deny that. Romantically? No. Would I still like to have fun with you as well? Absolutely.”

“What would he say to that?”

“Shepard, he put it rather simply that he’d just like to fuck every so often and he knows I’m still interested in you too.”

I couldn’t help chuckle. “Thank god we live in such an open minded world nowadays.”

“I’ll expect monogamy if someone ever put a ring on this finger, Shepard, otherwise life is for living.”

“The very words I live by, Miranda.”

I was tempted to head right upstairs and start teasing Jacob, of course, but I also figured the pair of them could at least enjoy the company of the other. I doubted either of them looked at it as anything more than a good fuck every now and then, though who really knew what the future held. What I did know is that I’d certainly help Jacob out going forward by not taking too much of her time. She’d figure that out, of course, but I had plenty of fish in the sea.

Arriving at the Citadel the next day, the crew was eager to dock and get off the ship. I wasn’t shutting it down entirely like I had on Illium. The crew would be expected to work, but when not on shift, they would be allowed off. My inner circle, so to speak, could come and go as they pleased, as long as they were on board when we eventually departed when I figured it was a good time to leave. Although Garrus was pre-occupied with his own issues, he still disappeared to visit Chloe, stating he would contact me when he had confirmation in regards to the traitor. Everyone else slowly disappeared until I was left with Kelly and a few of the crew.

I wandered over and placed a datapad on her desk. “What’s this?”

“Look it over and meet me there later.”

She started to read before glancing at me. “What?”

“Trust me.”

“But…”

I kissed her cheek. “Trust me. Just do what it says.”

Before she could ask any further questions, I headed upstairs, grabbed the bag I’d already packed and prepared, before heading back downstairs. Kelly tried to ask a couple more questions before I left, though I told her to simply do as instructed on the datapad again. All her questions would be answered later.

Grabbing a skycab, I was on the Presidium minutes later, heading to the Hotel Parnitha, named after the Thessian home system, and one of the most exclusive hotels on the Citadel itself. I was making sure to spend every credit the Illusive Man sent me. And a room did not come cheap. Walking inside in just a shirt, jacket and jeans, I felt rather underdressed, and the asari receptionist did give me a look as I strode towards her. “Reservation for Shepard.”

Once she’d found my name and noticed what I’d booked, the attitude changed immediately. I didn’t take offence easily, so when she smiled at me, I simply smiled back. “Two nights is correct, Mister Shepard?”

“Correct. And everything I’ve asked for is ready?”

“Yes. The chef will arrive later this evening to prepare the evening meal. Seating arrangements have been made. The bed is prepared as requested. Are there any last minute requirements?”

“No. When Miss Chambers arrives, please just ask her to come straight to my room.”

“Of course, Mister Shepard.” She handed over the key. “Thank you for staying with us. If there is anything we could do to make your stay more enjoyable…”

“I’ll be sure to ring down if there’s anything I can think of.”

Finding the nearby elevator, it took me to the top floor but one. There were only two rooms, heading left and opening the door to be greeted by a grand tiled room, the large windows providing an unobstructed view of the Presidium now far below. To the left was a kitchen with the latest amenities, to the right the living and dining area. Walking ahead towards the hallway, there was a turn which opened into a large bedroom and accompanying ensuite, though to call it that wasn’t quite correct, considering most people would love a bathroom that large.

Glancing at the time, I knew I had a couple of hours, so grabbed my swimming shorts and headed downstairs to the pool. I didn’t often get a chance to swim so whenever I had the opportunity, I leapt at it. Swimming wasn’t one of my strong suits due to my lack of time in the water, but could still pound out the laps though my technique wasn’t great. I did at least half an hour or so before I headed to the other pool that was to just lie about and relax.

Upstairs, I had a shower and dressed myself in something I’d bought quite a while back, wondering if or when I’d have the chance to actually wear it. The chef I requested turned up before Kelly did, so I showed him to the kitchen. He already had the menu, and the ingredients he needed were already in the fridge or were on one of the workbenches. He immediately got to work as I grabbed one of the bottles of wine from the fridge, poured two glasses, and waited.

There was a knock at the door around fifteen minutes later, opening it to see Kelly looking rather surprised as she had a bag in one hand, and a covered dress looped over her other. When she saw me, the smile lit up her face immediately. Ushering her in, I took her bag, handed her a glass, and showed her the view first. “Wow,” she whispered.

“Yeah, not too bad, right.”

“So… um…”

“You should try it on. Bedroom is just down there, around the corner.” I escorted her there, and when she saw the bed, she didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or hug me. She ended up doing a combination of all three. “Get dressed,” I whispered.

“Is this just for me?”

“Of course.”

“But I thought… the others…”

“A little ruse, Kelly. I wanted it to be a surprise. It’s just you and I tonight.”

She leaned back and then kissed me. The sort of kiss that suggested many things. I eventually pulled back and asked her to just get dressed, and I’d be waiting in the living room. Walking outside, the aromas coming from the kitchen caused my stomach to rumble, realising I hadn’t really had all that much to eat from breakfast.

Kelly walked out later, hearing the click of her heels first on the tiled floor as I turned towards her. The dressed I’d picked out fit like a charm, though I had been sneaky and made sure it was the right size. She’d spent time putting on faint make-up. Her hair didn’t need much work as it was. She strode straight towards me as I hugged her. “I can’t believe it,” she whispered, “Why?”

“About time I treated you to something special.”

Pouring her another glass of wine, and one for myself, we stood by the window, sipping at our glasses, taking in the view. I felt her lean into me, which I expected, wrapping my arm around her waist. “So you even organised someone to cook for us?”

“Very last minute, but once Garrus told me, I knew I had to do something for us.”

We were seated ten minutes later, enjoying the first course prepared by the chef. Nothing outlandish, as I preferred simple food, I simply didn’t want either of us to cook, but didn’t want take out either. We were dressed to impress, and I wanted the food to match it. Enjoying three courses in the end, we polished off the bottle of wine, the chef disappearing after he had served us desert, leaving us in privacy.

“Ready for what’s next?”

“There’s more?!”

“Of course. Come on, there should be a car waiting downstairs for us.”

Taking her hand, we headed down to the reception area, and we both earned appreciative glances from other guests. I liked to think I always looked good in a suit, but Kelly was an absolutely knock out in her black dress. There was a skycar already waiting for us, and it drove us to one of the Wards, arriving out front with Kelly already asking a million questions. “Theatre? Since when do you like the theatre?”

“Well, I don’t really know all that much, but I thought it would be something to do as a couple. Plus, it’s Italian, and if the Italian’s can do one thing, it’s theatre. Or opera. Or whatever this is.”

Kelly could barely contain herself by now, and I’d picked us some excellent seats within the crowd. The balconies were even beyond my price range. As we settled in to watch and listen, Kelly snuggled into me, resting her head on my shoulder. The two or so hours absolutely flew by. Couldn’t understand a word of it, but by the end, there were not many dry eyes around the place. The typical romance and tragedy one expects from such experiences.

Walking out hand in hand, Kelly wanted to do one thing and one thing only. Return to the hotel. She practically pulled me out of the car and through reception, but managed to control herself as we rode the elevator up. Heading inside, I closed the door as she immediately turned towards me, our lips meeting and my hand immediately went to the zipper at her back. Peeling the dress of her was easy, standing out of it. She wasn’t wearing a bra, so was in just panties, stockings, suspenders and heels. I definitely grinned as she fell into my arms again. “Shepard,” she breathed.

Picking her up, earning a loud laugh, I carried her into the bedroom, sitting her down on the bed as she immediately got to work helping me out of my jacket and shirt, kicking off my shoes as she eagerly pulled at my belt and trousers. Once she pulled my underwear out of the way, her mouth went straight for my cock. No teasing tonight, she simply swallowed the entire thing, her head immediately bobbing up and down. Running my fingers through her hair, I whispered, “Easy, Kelly. We have all night.”

She didn’t really listen. I guess she _really_ wanted to return the favour, so I both my hands through her hair, gently caressed her back, and simply enjoyed what she was doing for me. To be honest, I’d been rather turned on myself. She’d looked absolutely stunning in her dress, and I’d had plenty of thoughts about what we were going to do later. Whispering her name, that made her glance up as she knew I was getting close. She simply double down on her efforts, wanting, needing me to finish for her. Gently grabbing her hair, I groaned loudly as I felt the imminent climax, before I moaned and felt the first shot fire into her mouth. She didn’t spill a drop, eagerly taking the entire load, and she didn’t relent, continuing to suck me until I simply had to ask her to stop. Even then, she didn’t really want to, eventually falling to my knees so we were almost face to face.

“I love you,” she whispered before hugging me, “No-one has ever treated me like this before.”

“Well, those men were obviously idiots.”

“And we’re not even… I mean…”

“What?”

“Is this serious?”

“It is. It’s serious but… open, let’s say…”

She leaned back and met my eyes. “How serious, Shepard?”

“There are three of you, Kelly. And I’m not sure I can just choose one of you, and that’s the honest truth. But what I do know is that I absolutely adore you and love every single day we’re together. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have on the ship with me other than the other two, and even then, it would be different with them.”

“Gianna and Shiala, right?” I nodded. The smile was instantaneous. “I like them too, Shepard. I’ve always understood, but now I _really_ understand. So anyone else on the ship?”

“For you, given up in a heartbeat. Is that what you want?”

“Yes…. No… I don’t know…”

“While there would perhaps be a couple of disappointed women, our happiness is more important, Kelly. So, I’m willing to be exclusive on the ship if you want that from me?”

“Really?” she asked quietly.

I cupped her face, her eyes sparkling in the low light provided by the lamps. “One hundred percent,” I whispered before kissing her. She kissed me back, feeling her arms snake around me as I held her close, enjoying her naked skin at my fingertips. Moving down to her neck, she giggled as I kissed her collarbone and down her chest, definitely making my way to her nipples, gently pushing her back as I kissed down over her stomach to her panties. I managed to get them off easily, and it was no surprise that they were incredibly damp, slowly spreading her legs and immediately burying my face.

She came within a couple of minutes. Normally that would have made me feel rather smug, but I had a feeling she’d been turned on for hours that she was just dying for that release. No surprise that I needed to stop afterwards, crawling up onto the bed next to her as she had a little cry. I think it had proven rather emotional.

Then we made love, and I was left thinking it was the moment we absolutely connected as a couple. We’d enjoyed a lot of sex, both of us would admit that, but the sex we shared, enjoying numerous orgasms, but simply enjoying the act of connecting in such an intimate manner… I knew, at heart, if she’d asked me then and there, nearly everything would have been over with everyone else. That’s how much she had come to mean to me.

Watching her ride me that evening was nothing short of spectacular. She just kept going and going, riding through orgasm after orgasm, incapable of the thought of stopping. All she needed was me, my cock buried inside her, my hands and fingers on her body, my lips on hers or anywhere on her body, the gentle words I would share with her as I watched her body move, writhe and spasm for what felt like hours. Only when she was completely and utterly exhausted did she finally stop, and that’s when I carried her to the shower with me, simply so we could wash away the sweat before heading back to bed. Curling against me, I held her tight to my body.

“I don’t want this to end, Shepard,” she whispered.

“Neither do I.”

“I never dreamed… I had a crush, as you know. But I never thought we would be like this. I thought I’d be just another notch. I didn’t mind the idea, I just wanted to be with you. When we started this, and I said it was just sex, I meant it. But the longer we were together, the more I fell for you. When you told me you felt the same way… I never dreamed…”

Leaning down to her ear, I whispered, “I love you, Kelly Chambers.”

She whispered the same words back, my name instead of hers, of course, before she shuffled, getting herself comfortable against me, wanting nearly all of her body to be in contact with mine. She was asleep long before I was. No surprise there. As she slept, I did wonder about what I would do. I knew I loved Gianna as much as Kelly. I knew I could never make the choice. But then there was Shiala. We’d just… connected, somehow, I’m not sure, but from the first time we’d been intimate on the _Normandy_, and then seeing her again on Illium, I knew my feelings for her were deeper than I thought. Being honest, anyone else, I enjoyed the relationship, and I would be disappointed for it to end, but I would give it up for those three.

In the end, it would be their decision.

* * *

“Garrus, are you okay?” Chloe asked while the room was still in darkness.

Garrus had been awake for hours by now. He had tried his best to seem unaffected by everything. Chloe has no doubt noticed his distraction but hadn’t mentioned it. Dinner has been nice. They’d enjoyed a couple of drinks. The love making was as intimate as it always was. But he had woken only a few hours after she had fallen asleep next to him, and once he was awake, he was restless, so he rose quietly, showered and put on his armour, but couldn’t bring himself to leave without saying goodbye.

He felt her presence move, eventually sitting next to him. “Are you okay?” she asked again.

“I’m fine. Couldn’t sleep. Too much on my mind.”

“Garrus, you can talk to me. I mean… _talk_ to me. Not the inane conversations we’ve shared.”

He wasn’t used to sharing anything with anyone. But he turned to her, and the look in her eyes… without realising, he was telling her everything. The missions with Shepard on the old _Normandy_. Then the loss of his friend and the absence of any direction in his life. His journey to Omega, the fellow soldiers and mercenaries he had met, the team he had formed, the fight he had taken to the wicked and corrupt of Omega. But then the final betrayal and the loss of all those who he had held in such high regard. And then the final truth.

He knew who it was. He’d known almost the entire time, but had to investigate to be sure. He had been almost his best friend. For that man to betray him? A fellow turian, a brother in arms, a confidant, someone he could never have believed… It broke him in more ways than one. And all that did was fuel the hate, the anger, the rage. Shepard had noticed his change in demeanour recently but had not commented. Even when Garrus had asked to be taken to the Citadel, Shepard had simply agreed, not asking why. He could probably guess anyway.

By the time he was done, he felt drained but, also, better for finally having told someone. And if there was anyone to share his story with, it would be her. She grabbed his hand and led him out into her small kitchen, where he leaned against the bench as she prepared them a coffee each, herself a little food, handing him a couple of breakfast bars she knew he liked. “What will you do?” she finally asked.

“Find him. Kill him.”

Chloe knew he killed. He hadn’t taken many lives while working for C-Sec. But he’d killed plenty while alongside Shepard. He’d killed even more on Omega. And he was still killing with Shepard again. Very few if any of the deaths rested on his mind for long. They were criminals, the enemy, the unworthy. He wasn’t sure if anyone actually _deserved_ death, but if someone was trying to kill him, he’d make sure the bastard firing at him died in return.

“If you think that is best, Garrus, then I will agree with you.”

“You don’t think…”

She handed him a mug of coffee as she stood just in front of him. “He betrayed you, Garrus. To many, that would make him a traitor. Even on Earth, traitors, those who commit treason, are put to death, even to this day. There is no more heinous crime someone can commit. The only question I have is, are you sure?”

“He was the only one not among the bodies. He was the only one not there fighting when Shepard arrived. It was him. An eye for an eye, Chloe, though he is responsible for ten lives. I will take only the one. After that, those who fought and died alongside me will rest easy.”

“Are you taking care of it today?”

“I sent a message to Shepard earlier. We’ll meet later this morning and handle things from there.”

“Will you back tonight?”

“Of course, though Shepard won’t want to remain on the Citadel for too long.”

“If you come by the surgery once your job is done, we’ll at least grab a little bite to eat before returning here. Would you like that?”

“I’m sure I won’t be great company.”

“You’ll still be with me, Garrus. That’s more than enough at the moment.”

He finished his coffee and hugged her tightly against him. He still didn’t know what she saw in him sometimes. Turians and humans were different in nearly every way imaginable. He was silent and gruff most of the time. She loved to talk, and he loved listening to her. But even being intimate proved challenging, though when he watched her ride him, seeming to enjoy every second, as he tried to be as gentle as possible whenever touching her…

“I love you,” she whispered.

“And I you,” he whispered back. And he meant it. He’d had a string of girlfriends while on the Citadel, but none of them lasted long. Most found him too sullen, too quiet, too serious. For some reason, Chloe seemed to look past the exterior and figured he was worth it.

With a last peck on the cheek, he headed out into the madness of the Ward and straight back to the _Normandy_, where Shepard was waiting by his desk, Kelly alongside him at her own. He was already dressed in his armour, though clicked off his screen and followed him into the armoury.

“What’s the plan?” he asked.

“I meet a contact. His name is Fade,” Garrus replied as he started to assemble weapons on the bench. Trusted sniper rifle, assault rifle, pistol, “I talk to him, I’m given the location of Sidonis.”

“Okay, then what?” Garrus met his eyes. Shepard returned the look. “Don’t want to be heading in blind here, Garrus. Know what you want to do. Backing you one hundred percent. But we don’t know if this Sidonis will be alone or will have a bunch of people looking after him.”

“He’s on the run, Shepard. He fled Omega and I hope he can feel my hot breath on his neck as we close on him right now. There is nowhere in the galaxy he can run to. We will find him, Shepard, then I’m going to put a bullet in his head.”

“How do you know this Fade has the information you want?”

“Sidonis has been seen with him. An old friend has kept an eye out for me.”

“Is it just the old Shepard and Vakarian show?”

He nodded. “I’d prefer that, Shepard. This is personal. Intensely so. I don’t really like the idea of even you being involved, but I am turian enough to admit I also need help in this.”

Shepard picked up a couple of weapons, giving them a once over, before gesturing he was ready. “Let’s get to it then.”

As the pair headed out into the Wards yet again, Garrus suggested something that did surprise Shepard. That they should head to C-Sec and speak to Bailey. While he knew about Fade, he didn’t know where he was, and figured C-Sec would have a good idea. Bailey wasn’t surprised to see the pair of them again. Garrus hadn’t worked with Bailey but knew of his reputation. Generally by the book, clever investigator, and hated corruption.

And he knew where to go looking for Fade, which is exactly what he wanted to hear. That’s how, twenty minutes later, he and Shepard were in a warehouse, face to face with a volus who both would have known would not be Fade. And, if it was, it certainly wasn’t either of them had expected. The two krogan bodyguards would have been a concern until one recognised Shepard, and they were immediately compliant. Word of what happened on Tuchanka with the thresher maw had apparently spread even to the Citadel.

Realising his bodyguards were useless, Shepard expertly leading them away and talking about life on Tuchanka, that left the volus alone with Garrus. He didn’t have to get physical, he could do intimidating as well as any other turian. And the volus caved quickly, admitting he wasn’t Fade, naturally, but that he worked for him. When asked for the information he needed, the volus couldn’t have been more co-operative, eagerly sending information by omni-tool to his own.

Telling the volus to piss off, Shepard shook hands with the two krogan, the pair following out the volus, as Garrus read over the information. “Shit, this could be interesting, Shepard. Blue Suns have set up quite the little operation out of the factory district. And it seems an old friend of ours is heading it. Harkin.”

“Name’s familiar.”

“We dealt with him a couple of years back, during all that nonsense before you became a Spectre. Anyway, I was aware he was fired, gross misconduct, but he left with all the knowledge learned over the years, and it seems he’s changed sides now.”

“We’re going to need back up now, Garrus. We can’t do the old one-two against an entire operation.”

He nodded. “I agree. Zaeed? He’d love killing Blue Suns. Grunt, simply for the muscle. And Jack, biotic power and I’m sure she still has a bone or two to pick with them after Purgatory.”

Shepard put the calls through, the three agreeing to join in, of course, and they all gathered half an hour later. The warehouse noted by the volus appeared quiet, and making it inside was child’s play, Garrus managing to hack the lock easily. But once inside, they knew it was going to be a fight, as there were Blue Suns mercenaries everywhere.

“Any sign of Harkin?” Shepard asked.

Garrus put the eye to his scope and search possibilities. “If he’s anywhere, it’s the office at the rear.”

So that’s where the five of them headed, and the warehouse floor became a killing field. The first few Blue Suns didn’t know what hit them. Shepard charged in a ball of blue biotics and disappeared, Jack following behind, a shockwave sending a trio of mercenaries into the air, Grunt and Zaeed moving forward at least a little more carefully.

As for Garrus, he looked for elevation and set to work. Getting comfortable, eye to the scope, and he methodically put a bullet into the head of anyone in his sights. In a warehouse, he didn’t have to adjust for things like wind conditions. It was a simple case of aim and fire. Even he grew bored of that, though, keeping an eye on the office. Looking through the glass, now he could see Harkin, bellowing orders into a microphone. It didn’t seem to be connected to any speakers, so must have gone directly into the earpieces of the mercenaries. The only reason he didn’t shoot Harkin is that he needed him alive… though that didn’t stop him blowing out the glass windows, giving him a fright.

Storing his sniper, he took the assault rifle from his back and joined the other four, passing by numerous dead bodies as he caught up with them. The Blue Suns sent mechs in their direction, which was almost laughable, though a pair of the bigger mechs, the YMIR heavies, did cause a few moments of concern. With no heavy weapons, they had to focus on disabling shields first, and none of them were experts at that. Still, Garrus could eventually disable them long enough for Jack to really prove her power, sending such a shockwave that it even blew the mechs over. Shepard charged forward, unloading shotgun blast after shotgun blast, Grunt joining in to prevent the two mechs from getting back up.

There was a last line of defence, but it seemed the mercenaries knew they were going to die. None of them tried to surrender. He certainly wasn’t going to accept it, nor would Zaeed, and he figured Shepard would laugh, tell them to piss off, then shoot them. Approaching the office door, they formed to either side, Shepard opening it and Harkin fired a pistol.

“Harkin, drop the pistol or we will come in there and kill you.”

“I know that voice… Commander Shepard?”

“You bet your arse it’s me. So, throw the weapon down, kick it this way. Or we walk in and shoot. Trust me, our shields will take at least two shots and I won’t need more than one to deal with you.”

No doubt Harkin gave it some thought before there was the clatter of a pistol thrown, looking down to see it slide outside past them. Shepard immediately moved forward, shotgun raised, Garrus following in right behind, rifle raised. Shepard went straight for Harkin, who immediately lifted his hands, though that didn’t stop Shepard putting the butt of the shotgun into his gut. Harkin crumpled to the ground, and he wasn’t exactly sure what stopped Shepard giving him a good kick. “I don’t appreciate mercenaries shooting at me, Harkin. Particularly when under the orders of pieces of shit like yourself.”

Storing his shotgun, Shepard lifted Harkin up and then threw him at Garrus. Storing his rifle, Garrus simply grabbed the human by the throat and threw him against the wall. “I will ask you only once, Harkin. Where is he?”

"I don't what you're talking about!"

He put a fist straight into his gut, probably the same place Shepard had put the butt of his shotgun. Lifting him by the back of his collar, he made sure to slam his head against the wall. He feigned a sigh. “I said I was only going to ask once, Harkin. Why do you insist on always playing games?”

“Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Garrus kept a hand around his throat as he looked at Shepard. “Well, to be honest, Garrus, we haven’t actually told him why we’re here.”

“Hmmm. Good point.” He looked back at Harkin. "I'm looking for someone. Someone you helped disappear. You're going to tell me where this person is."

"Perhaps we can work something out?"

Garrus put his forehead into his nose. Harkin cried out, blood immediately pouring from his nostrils. He was fairly sure he heard a good crack, so it was probably a broken nose and other injuries in that area of his face. “Wrong answer, Harkin. He’s a turian. Name’s Sidonis. You are going to tell me where he is.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know where he is.” Then the eyes of the human grew defiant. “I ain’t telling you squat.”

This time, Garrus did sigh, taking the pistol from his hip and putting a bullet in his leg without hesitation. “Wrong answer, Harkin. Trust me, I can do this all day. My colleagues around me? They’re going to sit around and enjoy the show.” He held the pistol in front of his eyes. “There are plenty more bullets in here, Harkin, and you have plenty of places where I can put them. How long will you last until you bleed out?”

"Fucking hell, Garrus, what happened to you?" Harkin wondered, the look of defiance now one of absolute fear.

“Omega happened. Now, organise a meeting with Sidonis. Any funny stuff, and the next bullet goes in your head. Understand?”

Harkin looked around and, realising he had no hope, finally nodded and hobbled over to a nearby terminal. He listened into the conversation, making sure there were no code words, but it was fairly easy to understand. They’d meet at the Orbital Lounge in a couple of hours’ time. More than enough to set up a hit. Then Harkin saw a chink of light, perhaps hope he’d get away scot free.

“Oh, I’m done with you, Harkin. I’m sure C-Sec might have some questions, but my colleague here…”

Shepard simply raised his pistol and put a bullet into Harkin’s head, the human dropping with a thud, blood and the remains of his brains splattered against the wall. Garrus shrugged but noticed the surprise of at least Jack and Zaeed. “Fucking hell,” the mercenary muttered.

“Dirty cop now criminal. This is exactly what I’m employed to do. Judge. Jury. Executioner. Sometimes, the job does have its perks. And no-one is going to miss a sack of shit like him.”

“Ready, Shepard?” Garrus asked.

“Let’s go take care of business.”

Leaving the warehouse, Shepard did call into C-Sec, letting them know about the operation they’d found, and that there would be plenty of incriminating evidence around. As for Harkin, he simply said that the man had been dealt with. Bailey didn’t say anything to that, simply thanking them for the assistance.

As they drove towards the lounge, he did wonder if Shepard would stop him. He’d seen Shepard take the law into his hands often enough that he didn’t think he would. Shepard seemed to almost read his mind and eased it. “Want me to do anything before you take the shot?”

“A confession. I want to know why, Shepard. Why he betrayed us. I had him picked as my most loyal companion, the man I worked with closest on the hardest of missions. He was a man I thought would have died for our cause, something noble and worthwhile. Instead, he turns traitor and leaves all of us to die.”

“Okay, get him to talk. Easy enough. And once that’s done?”

“I’ll have him lined up so all you need do is take a step left or right. I’ll do the rest.”

“He’s all yours, Garrus. That I can promise.”

“Thank you, Shepard.”

“Trust me, Garrus, if it had been me, I’d have left a trail of bodies behind looking for him.”

Making sure they were in contact, he headed up into the rafters, picking a perfect position that would allow him to lie prone, setting up his rifle so he was comfortable, able to wait in position for as long as possible before taking the shot. Shepard waited around, sitting on one of the lounges. He noticed Sidonis straight away, walking into the lounge. He could have taken the shot immediately, but he needed to hear why. That was the only reason why the turian still breathed even now.

“That’s Sidonis,” he whispered into the mike.

Shepard heard, rose to his feet, and gestured to Sidonis. “Lantar Sidonis,” Shepard stated.

"Please, don't use that name." Then Sidonis stared at Shepard, as if he almost recognised him. "Who are you?"

“Your new contact, and there is someone new in charge. There are new conditions to the help you are receiving. Understand?”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s a bounty out for your head, Sidonis. A big, fat juicy one. And let me tell you, there are a lot of people on your trail. My benefactors and I are wondering if it’s worth our while keeping you protected. They want to know what you did that apparently has some of the leading assassins scouring the Citadel, looking for you. Here’s a question; why’d you do it?”

"Because I'm no hero. I'm not brave. I'm a nobody."

"You're going to have to give me more than that. Let's start simple. The burning question. Why'd you betray your team?"

“How do you know…”

“Because of the contracts has been issues by someone named…” Shepard feigned looking at his omni-tool. “Here we are. Says his name was Archangel. Worked on Omega. Seems you’re responsible for a number of deaths, Sidonis, and this Archangel is willing to pay top dollar to have you killed. All he wants at the end is your head. Guess he’s going to put it on his desk, maybe his wall, after whoever kills you is done.”

"I was a recon mission. Trying to follow a Blue Suns operation. I made a mistake. Got too close. They caught me. They knew who I was. Who I was working with."

“I can only assume you were working with this Archangel then?”

Sidonis nodded. "I don't know how long I was kept for. They… tortured me. You think I'd reveal anything about the team easily? I may not be brave, but… there's only so much a man can take. You know what I mean?" Shepard nodded. "Still have the scars if you want to see that I'm telling the truth."

“No, that won’t be necessary. But you still sold them out in the end. Ten deaths are your responsibility. Betrayed because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut. Because you were weak. Because you wanted to save yourself over the lives of your companions.”

"I know. My life is over. I don't sleep. I don't really eat. There's no enjoyment in anything I do. Some days I think I should just kill myself and end it. But I won't, because that would be taking the coward's way out. The easy way out. No, I must pay for what I did. I will live with those ten men on my conscience. I'll live with that choice for the rest of my life.”

Garrus had a moment of pause. Killing him might actually be giving him the easy way out. Killing him would relieve him of the guilt. He was now a tortured soul. No doubt he closed his eyes every night and saw the faces of those he was responsible for. But did Sidonis deserve to keep breathing while ten noble warriors were dead on Omega?

He could only lower his head and emit a low growl as his mind split in two different directions. “I think I’ve heard enough,” Shepard said, “And, quite frankly, I’m rather disgusted by it all. If you were a human and in the Alliance, I can assure you the best you’d receive would be jail time, though many would clamour to have you strung up by the neck. But, in the end, it’s not up to me.”

Garrus had his eye back to the scope already as Shepard stepped out of the way. In that moment, Garrus had an open shot. He stared into the eyes of Lantar Sidonis from a distance through the scope. His finger feathered the trigger… ready to pull… ready to pull…

Spirits, he so desperately wanted to pull and just end him right there. But knowing he would be living with the guilt for the rest of his natural born life? Garrus could only admit that was a better punishment. Death was instantaneous, a release from the burden he carried. No, make the bastard live with that every day from now on. “Shepard, hold him there. I wish to see him.”

“Of course. One moment, Sidonis. One of my benefactors wishes to meet with you.”

When Sidonis saw Garrus stride towards him, he almost broke and ran, Shepard grabbing his forearm. The turian slumped as Garrus came to a halt a couple of paces away. He growled and gave his fellow turian an almighty backhander, causing most conversations around them to halt as everyone stared at him. Grabbing the turian by the collar, he dragged him closer. “Lantar,” he growled.

“I’m sorry, Garrus,” Sidonis, whispered.

“Not good enough, Lantar. Not for them. Not for me. You betrayed them. They are dead because of you. I have these scars because of you. Everything that happened in those final hours is because of you. I could have so easily taken the shot then and there, ended your pathetic existence. But I’m not. I’m going to ensure you live with the guilt for the rest of your life. Knowing the pain you are going to suffer, living with the knowledge that you could so easily betray those closest to you, simply to save your own skin. You’re pathetic. Certainly not a turian. To think I once trusted you so closely, considered you a friend and ally. That mistake falls on me. The rest falls on you.” He let the turian go, pushing him back. “Get out of my sight, Sidonis, before I change my mind and put a bullet into your worthless head. Trust me on this, I have contacts and will ensure you are watched. Do anything, and I mean _anything_ that I consider not befitting the sort of life you should be living going forward, trust in knowing that you will receive a knock on your door, followed by a single bullet to the head.”

Sidonis simply nodded, turned and hurried away. The noise of the lounge quickly picked up as Shepard approached. “Honestly thought you’d shoot him,” he admitted.

“I wanted to, but knowing what he’s going through, I’ll admit, it’s a better punishment than a simple bullet could possibly bring.” He looked at Shepard. “Make the wrong choice?”

“Not my decision to make, Garrus. That was all on you. If you’re comfortable with it, that’s what matters.”

He gave it some thought, immediate reflection, and found himself nodding. “Yeah, I’m actually okay with it, Shepard. Surprisingly, I guess.”

“Good. Want a beer?”

“Definitely. Need to get rid some of this tension.”

“Ah, sounds like you need something else then.”

“Later. First, a drink with a friend, then I’ll go see Chloe.”

The pair found a cosy little pub nearby to enjoy a couple of beers together. For the first time since Omega, he felt relaxed, an ease of the tension that had been slowly building up in his body each passing day. Shepard certainly seemed to notice, and the pair were soon chatting as easily as they had when he had first boarded the _Normandy_. When his omni-tool pinged, Shepard opened it, read a message, smiled, and suggested he had other plans. “Kelly?”

“Yeah.”

“Getting serious?”

“Well, it is, but… well, we’ve talked. It’s open, at least from my end. I know she wants to fool around, but with women. I’ve told her it’s fine, I can’t expect her to understand and for me to deny her.”

“She doesn’t want another guy?”

“Far as she’s told me, no. And I believe her.”

“I don’t know how you do it, Shepard. I find satisfying one woman exhausting enough.”

“I’m a greedy bastard, Garrus. And I know, one day, it’ll probably blow up in my face. But I’ll enjoy the ride as long as I can.” Shepard drained his pint glass, patted his shoulder, and wished him goodnight.

After finishing his drink, Garrus wandered the streets until such time that he knew Chloe would be finishing for the evening. Wandering into her clinic, it was now empty of people, Chloe sitting behind her desk, looking busy, perhaps typing up a report. She looked up and smiled when noticing him, rising to her feet straight away, standing on tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

“Want dinner?” he asked.

“Oh, is this a treat, Garrus?”

“Want to take my girl out for dinner.”

That made a smile light up her face, and he was soon escorting her to a nearby restaurant that served food they could both eat. She mentioned straight away he seemed more relaxed, and so he told her the story of Sidonis, not just what happened earlier, but everything on Omega. She listened, her attention on his every word, and when he was finished, she reached across and grabbed his hand. “Do you believe you made the right choice?”

“I do.”

“Then you can move on now, Garrus. Live your life in their memory.”

“That was what I intended to do. I won’t forget them.”

As they both relaxed, the conversation turned to other topics, one being the future. Garrus would admit he simply hadn’t given it much thought. He’d told Chloe it was a possible suicide mission, that he might not be back. He didn’t want to die, but he knew the odds were stacked against them. But if he did survive, then he’d return to the Citadel. Not for a job, or a career. For once, he’d make a choice with his heart.

Right response, as the check was requested, and once paid, Chloe practically dragged him back to her apartment. Once inside, she showed an eagerness he’d only ever received rarely from any lover. Getting her naked was far easier, getting him out of armour always took time. But once they were both naked, she practically leapt on him, eager to please.

He would admit the sex that night was much better than the previous. His mind now clear, he could focus all his attention on her, and she loved every minute of it. He still wondered what she saw in him, but when her hands rested on his shoulders, feeling her soft legs wrapped around him, begging in her soft tone of voice for him to just _fuck_ her, he couldn’t help but think he was doing something right, at least.

She went to sleep before him, unable to stop the chuckle that he’d managed to wear her out. She had been rather insatiable that evening, but he gave it some thought and figured it was the first time they’d properly connected since his return. Now all he could do was return as often as he could before the Omega Four, and once the mission was complete and the Collectors stopped, he’d return to her.

He only woke the next morning when his omni-tool beeped, a message from Shepard asking him to return by ten am, ship time. That gave him two hours. After enjoying a shower with Chloe, they dressed as they distracted each other, before enjoying breakfast together. He escorted her to her clinic, sharing a very long cuddle at the front door, before wishing each other goodbye. He made sure she was safe and secure inside before leaving her.

Strolling onto the _Normandy_ later, Joker took one look at him and cracked up in laughter, Shepard doing the same thing when he walked past the galaxy map. Stopping by his friend, he offered his hand. Shepard accepting it immediately. “Thanks, Shepard.”

“For what?”

“Just for helping a friend. It’s appreciated.”

“No problem, Garrus. Happy to help.”

“When you’ve got time, I’ve got a few ideas about the cannons I’d like to go over with you, particularly when it comes to a potential battle against the Collector ship.”

“Definitely. I’ve had Tali onto me about shielding as well, and the engineers are going on about more power output from the core. Looks like things are finally coming together.”

“I’ll send you some early specs. Whenever you’ve got time, I’ll be ready to explain.”

“What are you going to do now?”

“I think I’ll do some calibrations.”

Shepard chuckled to himself, Garrus wondering why, as he boarded the elevator and headed to what he considered home, at least for the time being.


	41. Favour

Miranda Lawson would admit that she didn’t like asking for help at the best of times. She preferred to solve problems her own way. And if the problem was personal, she definitely did not want to involve others. But the problem she now faced necessitated asking Shepard to take her somewhere, and knowing who might be involved in the problem she now faced, she knew asking for help would be the best course of action. It still didn’t sit easily, though. She thought Shepard and herself now had a friendship, at least. They’d only been intimate once or twice at most, but she appreciated how things had changed between them since that first meeting. She’d warmed to him completely and had helped her form relationships with other members of the crew.

She finally put a finger to her console. “Shepard, it’s Miranda. Do you have a minute to talk?”

_“I’ll be down in a second, Miranda.”_

Thanking him, she walked out to the mess, grabbed two mugs of coffee, sitting down just in time for him to come strolling through the door. She gestured to the seat opposite, and his face lit up when he noticed a hot mug of brown waiting for him. She watched him sit down and relax, taking a sip and making an appreciative noise, before he met her eyes. “What’s up?”

“I need your help, Shepard.”

Get it done quickly, like taking off a band aid. “My help? What with?”

She wasn’t surprised by his. She never asked for help, even from Shepard. While she was more open about what she did daily, as there was little point keeping secrets from each other, she still just went about her role as she saw fit, and he never really interfered. Sure, he’d give suggestions or tips on what to do, but it was always offered, never asked. But in addition to surprise, there was definitely curiosity. And she knew he’d want to help once she’d explained.

She sipped her own drink before leaning forward, crossing her arms on the desk. No cleavage on show for something so important, and his eyes never left hers, so he could sense this was a serious matter. “I’m about to tell you something very few know, Shepard. Only… the Illusive Man, and the few people who were involved at the time.” She took a deep breath. “I have a sister, Shepard.”

The grin was immediate. “That’s your secret? The fact you have a sister?”

“No, it’s not just that.” When she started to fidget unconsciously, he noticed the immediate change, the smile disappearing as he leaned forward as well, waiting for her to continue. “When I escaped my father, I took someone with me, Shepard. She’s my twin sister.”

“Wow, okay. That might change things a bit. But why take her?”

"She's like me. Created in a lab by my father. And I didn't want her to suffer at the hands of him like I did.”

He nodded, no doubt remembering everything she had told him about life under her father. She remembered the videos of what happened to Jack. She was left thinking at the end the only difference between the pair was that she wasn’t fucked and sodomised by her father. But the regime she had lived under was just as brutal. Constant tests, physical and mental. And the punishment for failure was severe. It explained her strength of character. If she could withstand that, and also escape, then she could take on anything the galaxy would throw at her.

"Okay, what's gone wrong?"

"My father stopped looking for me not long after I escaped, no doubt put off the scent by the Illusive Man, or he warned my father off. Perhaps the latter, considering my father cut links with Cerberus soon after I joined. Whoever, whatever I was created for, my sister was to be my replacement. I think she was meant to be… perfect." She didn't miss the slight smirk on his face. She knew the subtle jokes about her ‘perfection’. She also never missed when he checked her out. "I've done everything I can think of to keep her very existence a secret. But I think something has gone wrong. I think my father knows where she is."

"Who does your sister live with?"

"An ordinary family. That is all I ever wanted for her. To grow up as normally as possible, without the ridiculous expectations I had heaped on me for years. My father didn't want children. He wanted a legacy."

"Okay, what do you need me to do?"

"I have a contact on Illium. We'll just have to go from there."

"And the plan?"

"Relocate my sister. Only I will know her location going forward." He raised an eyebrow in obvious surprise at that. "My father had links with Cerberus prior to me joining the organisation. He must have found that information from someone within."

“Okay. We’ll head straight for Illium. I take it this is urgent?”

“I only recently received the message regarding the issue. If we could solve it quickly, I would be forever thankful, Shepard.”

“What’s her name?”

“Who?”

“Your sister?”

“Oh, her name is Oriana, Shepard.”

He disappeared out the door, and must have headed straight to the galaxy map, as he reported that the _Normandy_ would make it to Illium by the next day. She messaged her contact, letting her know that she would be on Illium the next day, and to expect herself and companions to ensure a smooth operation. Her contact replied quickly, stating she would meet her in the Eternity Lounge, a bar that was close to the docks.

Shepard appeared a few hours later, obviously going over in his mind the operation that might be required. Asking if she thought they would need assistance, she would have been stupid to knock back help. But it was a case of who she could trust. Getting Oriana safe was all that mattered, and in the end, no-one but her would know the final destination. “I’m really not sure if we’ll end up in a fight or not. I’m hoping it’ll be easy but…”

“It never is, Miranda. You should know that enough by now.”

“Okay, small team, and encompassing all the skills we might need. Kasumi, Thane… Samara… Garrus…”

“Really?”

“Come on, Shepard, is there anyone else you’d want watching your back?”

“I know, I’m just surprised. That’s six of us then. Anyone else?”

“No. Small team, hopefully none of us will be required. In and out, nice and easy. But plan for the best, expect the worst, that kind of thing.”

She found sleeping difficult that night, her mind going over a million and one permutations of what this was all about. She hoped against hope that her contact was simply over-reacting, but she knew her father would never have given up the search for Oriana. Herself? She could understand giving up eventually, particularly if warned off by the Illusive Man. But Oriana had always been the prize he had craved, the years of researched, the legacy he had always wanted.

Still pre-occupied the next morning, the _Normandy_ was getting ready to dock when she finally dragged herself out of the office, heading straight upstairs to the armoury. She attached the shield pack to her hips, confident as always that her shields and biotic barriers would keep her safe. Only rarely did both fail. A pistol and an SMG were all she would carry. Shotguns were too bulky, assault and sniper rifles were too heavy. Those she had requested walked in as she was getting ready, Shepard in his armour, tooling up as if ready to go to war, Thane selecting a pistol and sniper rifle, Garrus his usual weapons of war, Samara the same outload as herself, but she usually relied on her biotics. Kasumi also carried the same as her, but relied on her cloaking and other tech abilities.

Heading out onto Illium, Shepard had issues noticed that this was not a relaxation stop. The ship would be stopping only for the mission and the evening. She knew during the evening he would be visiting Gianna, or he might even bring her to the _Normandy_, though wasn’t how sure that would work with Kelly.

The lounge where she was meeting the contact was only a short walk away from the docks. The place was full of asari, as she expected, but her contact was already sat at the bar, nursing a drink, though she immediately rose as they walked in. “Lanteia!”

“Miss Lawson,” she replied, immediately business like.

“What’s going on? Your message sounded urgent so I came as quickly as possible.”

The asari looked around before gesturing with her head. “Follow me into the other room. I don’t want anyone eavesdropping.” That didn’t exactly calm her nerves but she followed the asari, taking a seat at a small table across from her, the others forming around Miranda. "Firstly, before asking anything else, Oriana is fine."

She would have sighed with relief, but that still didn’t explain the message. “So what’s going on then?”

"Your external source, Niket, has sent warning that your father has recruited Eclipse mercenaries to track down your sister. Figuring that these mercenaries would no doubt be waiting for you to arrive, he's suggested escorting Oriana and her family to the terminal instead."

“As in off-world?” Lanteia nodded. “And where would they go?”

“That would be your choice, Miss Lawson.”

She had already considered the possibility of having to move Oriana and her family, but it appeared that would now be the best option. If her father had managed to track her to Illium, then she wouldn’t be safe much longer. "We'll discuss and decide that once these mercenaries are dealt with."

“Who’s Niket?” Shepard asked.

"A friend. An old friend. I don't have many of those left from… that time. He was the one who helped me "

"Time is short, Miranda. What's your plan?" Lanteia asked, "Do you want anyone else brought in to help?"

She shook her head. "No, Shepard and I can handle anything from here. Since these mercs are no doubt waiting for us, we'll go and draw their attention. That will give Niket and Oriana time to get away."

"Anything else?" Lanteia asked.

"That's it for now. Just get the message to Niket to keep Oriana and her family safe. That's all I ask."

"Understood," the asari replied, before nodding and disappearing out the door.

Rising to her feet, she felt all five pairs of eyes fall on her, even Shepard, let assuming that this was her mission, so she would at least be offering her own ideas. If he liked the sound of them, he would no doubt agree. “Eclipse can be a pain in the arse, Shepard.”

“Indeed. Think we have the right team here?”

“Yes. But one more. I’ll message Jacob, ask him to come too. He’ll be in the armoury, no doubt, so it shouldn’t take him long to get ready.”

He turned up ready for a fight fifteen minutes later, so the seven of them headed out into Illium. Securing transportation, two skycars due to their number, they were soon approaching the area provided by Lanteia where they could approach Eclipse. Unfortunately, their approach was noticed, and once they were under fire, the two skycars quickly descended and landed. To her surprise, the mercenaries didn’t converge on them and open fire. They hung back, allowing them to get out and walk towards them in return.

Striding forward, she sensed Shepard to her side, though her eyes didn’t move from the mercenaries ahead. One or two rather well armed, many with tech armour. A mixture of different species, and definitely different abilities. Coming to a halt around a dozen paces away, she counted them all. She had seven in total. They had more. But they’d faced far worse odds than that before.

"You know who I am?" she shouted.

The mercenary leader held up his hand, his five colleagues lining up behind him, though no weapons were on display. Yet. "Yeah, I know who you are. You're the bitch that kidnapped my boss’s little girl."

"Oriana wasn't kidnapped. And this has nothing to do with any of you. Now I suggest you take your men and leave."

"How about I put this in terms I'm sure you'll understand. Fuck off. Now," Shepard added in a tone that really should have brooked no argument. She almost smirked, knowing he was itching for a good fight.

“And who are you?” the mercenary asked.

“Shepard. Maybe you’ve heard of me? Trust me, you don’t want to fuck with us, you certainly don’t want to get in her way, and you definitely don’t want to fuck with someone like me. So, either fuck off now, I’ll even be polite and add please, or… well, I’m sure I don’t have to mention the outcome.”

The mercenary ignored the threat and looked back at her. "I bet you think you're really smart. Everything under control. That's where you're wrong. Captain Enyala is currently moving in on the kid. And Niket won't be helping you. "If you don't do anything stupid, we'll all get out of this alive," the mercenary stated, folding his arms across his chest, a slight smirk appearing, "Walk away now, the kid goes back to her father, and everyone wins."

"Miranda, how old is your sister? You said you were a twin?" Shepard asked, clearly confused.

The mercenary leader laughed. "That's what this bitch told you?! No, that isn't what happened. She kidnapped a baby. He's been looking for her for over a decade."

She felt his eyes land on her. She didn’t look away, now glaring daggers at the mercenary. She had wanted to explain, but after, once the dust had settled down. “Shepard, I’ve been nothing but honest with you about all of this. Oriana is my sister. Biologically, she is an almost identical twin.”

She finally chanced a glance in his direction. Their eyes met. He nodded once, and shotgun from his back. “Look, I’ve already asked politely, now I’m demanding. Fuck off now.”

The mercenary leader stepped forward until still standing eyeball to eyeball with Shepard. He was confident. Too confident. "We've given you one chance to walk away. Shame you didn't take it. Now…"

His first and last mistake. Shepard launched a ferocious headbutt into the face of the mercenary before putting the shotgun to his throat and pulling the trigger. As that happened, gunfire erupted, Miranda aiming for a nearby barrel, which exploded upon the second impact. After that, it was nothing but chaos, mercenaries flooded forward as Shepard yelled for them to fire at will, no prisoners.

So standard operating procedure.

Being a warehouse area, crates and boxes towered over them, necessitating caution as they moved forward. Garrus found elevation as usual, as did Thane, the sound of two cracks soon echoing around as they found easy pickings in the distance. Shepard led at the front as always, and whenever they made contact, he disappeared a ball of blue light, the sound of his shotgun firing a second or two later. The rest followed at a distance, gunfire, biotics and tech attacks raining down on the enemy. Kasumi would disappear, reappearing in the distance behind a mercenary, a quick, clean kill, before she disappeared again. Miranda simply smirked, thinking she really should invest in something similar.

As they moved on, she heard a radio cackle from a nearby dead mercenary. Picking it up, she attached it and could now listen into Eclipse orders. Shepard noticed and gave a thumbs up. Boarding an elevator, knowing they would need to head up to make it to the terminal in time, it was the first moment of peace they had so she could explain as much as she could.

“She’s my twin, Shepard, as I said. Blood. DNA. Genetically, we are identical. But… My father 'grew' her when I was already a teenager.”

“Why not just say that originally?”

“It sounds easy now, but it’s a rather complicated matter. She's the only family I have, Shepard. And I am very protective of her. And I will protect her from anyone who dares threaten her."

“So all this to take her from your father?” Jacob asked.

"I wasn't the first one my father made, Jacob. I was just the first one he kept. Oriana was my replacement. You can guess what my fate was going to be."

“No shit?”

“It wasn’t the only reason I ran away, but once I figured out what he had planned, it gave my escape a sense of urgency. I wasn’t going to be another one of his sacrifices.”

Mercenaries were waiting for them, Shepard charging as soon as the doors opened, a perfect distraction as the rest of the team filtered out and opened fire. She found herself working in tandem with Samara more often than not, the biotic power of the asari outmatching anything she could do, but they could pull of some rather spectacular combinations. Thane showed he had a grasp of biotics as well, though he was superior with a weapon in hand.

It was chaos, and perhaps everyone was glad they were not in a civilian area. There were plenty of explosions as crates being carried overhead were dropped to the ground, more than one mercenary squashed into paste. Other barrels contained enough explosives to cause piles of crates to topple over, lucky that Garrus didn’t call one of them home when perching himself up high.

_"Keep the bitch back! Niket is nearing the transport terminal."_

That brought her to a halt. She immediately thought she’d heard wrong, but couldn’t very well ask a question. Shepard noticed and asked what was wrong. “They just said Niket…” She shook her head. “No, I must have heard wrong. He wouldn’t sell me out.”

“Sure about that?”

She heard the tone. Who could she really trust from that life? Meeting his eyes, she nodded. “The only way to find out is getting up there.”

They moved on, mowing down mercenaries, and when they were met with mechs, nearly all of them laughed at the desperation at sending such fodder in their direction. Sure, it slowed them down, but even someone with minimum training shouldn’t really be shot and killed by a mech of all things. The last few mercenaries provided minimal assistance before they made it to what she hoped was the final elevator. Boarding it, EDI quickly reported that Eclipse had tried sabotaging it, but she’d managed to prevent it. Then she heard something that made her stomach drop.

"_Niket has reached the terminal. He'll switch the family over to our transport."_

Shepard heard it too. And his eyes suggested that he believed her worse fears. She shook her head in disbelief. “No, they must know we’re listening, feeding us false information…”

“You still sure about him?” he asked. He was no longer convinced. But he didn’t know him. Surely Niket wouldn’t sell her out too?

Looking up, watching the numbers, she steeled herself for what was to come. As long as Oriana lived, that was all that mattered. Lived and escaped her father’s clutches. “Shepard, if this goes wrong, and I…”

“Don’t even finish that fucking sentence, Miranda,” he growled, his eyes watching the numbers, “We’re all walking out of this together.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“Spirits, you two are going to fuck again, aren’t you?” Garrus muttered.

“Haven’t actually given it a thought, Garrus,” Shepard stated with amusement, “Mention it again, and I will be distracted.”

The doors opened and she strode forward, feeling the rest spread out to either side, everyone with weapon in hand. But what she could see ahead broke her heart. It was really true. Her oldest, dearest friend had sold her out. When his eyes met hers, there was no surprise that she was there. There was guilt, but also… defiance. Almost accusation. He probably knew the absolute truth.

“You sold me out,” she spat bitterly, “Why? You helped me get away from him. Why are you handing her back to him?"

“Asari with shotgun,” Shepard murmured. She took the information in but her eyes were only for Niket.

Niket tried lowering his hands, five weapons raised and pointed at him forcing them back up immediately. "Yes! Of course I helped you because you wanted to leave. But if I'd known that you had kidnapped a baby…"

"I didn't kidnap her! I rescued her!" she replied indignantly.

"You weren't rescuing her, Miri. You were getting back at your father!"

"How did he manage to turn you? How did he manage to turn my only friend?"

"He told me they kidnapped your baby sister when you escaped. They said I could help get her back peacefully. I didn't believe them. Not until you told me that you had actually done it."

"Yet you never even asked me why? I could have explained it all. Why it was all necessary. Why she is better off where she is. She is with a family who love and protect her, rather than with… him."

"You call me your friend, Miri. Yet you kept the fact you took your sister a secret from me for years. Then I find out from your father, of all people, that you work for Cerberus. Yet you still stand there and call me your friend, Miri? Really?"

"How much has her father paid you?" Jack asked.

"Enough to live comfortably for the rest of my life."

"I trusted you," Miranda stated quietly.

"That's why he bought me," Niket stated.

"Miranda?" Shepard asked, glancing his way for the briefest moment, "We need a new plan. Too many people may know about all of this."

"Who knows about Oriana?" Miranda asked Niket.

"Only me."

"Then you're the only loose end." She raised her gun, finger on the trigger, and pulled without hesitation. The betrayal was too much. He would not be allowed to live for it.

As she pulled the trigger, Shepard charged straight at the asari, knocking her backwards, sending her arse over head as gunfire erupted again. But there were few people around, so they could fire almost indiscriminately, and the few Eclipse that were left posed no challenge. Shepard seemed to relish in eliminating another mercenary commander.

When the bodies of the enemy lay dead, she approached that of Niket, taking note of the single hole in his forehead. Vacant eyes looked back at her. There was surprise on his face, the same surprise at her appearance. No doubt he had thought he’d get away with it, or that she’d never shoot him for it. But betrayal of that kind would always be paid for in blood.

Shepard found a datapad, stating where the family were. Heading up another couple of levels, she was surprised the firefight didn’t attract more attention, and through the crowd, she saw Oriana and her family waiting to depart. She watched from a distance and couldn’t help sigh, knowing she was safe once again.

“Go talk to her,” Shepard suggested, “Let her know she has a big sister out there who is looking after her.”

"No. It's best she doesn't know I exist. I'll just complicate things. She's safe, Shepard. That's all that matters."

“Look, she might be safe now, Miranda, but do you know how excited she’s going to be to know that she has a sister working alongside the ‘great Commander Shepard’.”

“Does that mean you want to meet her?”

“How old is she?”

She looked at him then gave him a gentle shove. “Behave, Shepard.”

“Are you going to talk to her? Otherwise I will get cruder.”

She sighed. “Fine. I’ll go talk to her.”

She leaned over, kissed his cheek and whispered a thank you, before she strode towards her confidently, though inside, she felt nothing but butterflies. She’d watched her grow up from a distance, but they’d never made contact before. She was perhaps old enough to understand at least the basics. Regarding their father, that would have to come later.

Mother, father, and Oriana looked her way as she came to a stop. “Are you our contact?” the mother asked.

“Sort of. I’m the one who has helped your next move.”

"Who are you?" Oriana asked.

Miranda looked at her sister and could see the resemblance. No doubt Oriana saw it in return, and was immediately putting two and two together. Oriana was smart. Far smarter than herself. “My name is Miranda. And…” She paused to take a deep breath, “I’m your sister.”

Oriana took all of three seconds to process the new information before hugging her tightly. Surprised at first, she closed the embrace straight away, immediately feeling the moisture in her eyes, so she closed them, though that didn’t stop the tears sliding down her cheek.

“I have a big sister,” Oriana whispered.

Kissing the top of her head, she leaned back slightly, Oriana slightly blurred, though she didn’t feel silly because of it. “You do. But, please, don’t ask any questions. Now isn’t the time. What matters is that you’re safe.” She let her go, taking a moment to dry her eyes, before looking between the three of them. “Everything is organised. New house. New jobs. New school. New everything. I apologise if this has caused you problems, but your safety is paramount in all of this.”

“We understand, of course. Thank you,” the father stated.

She hugged Oriana again. “Just know that you have a big sister out there who will do anything to keep you safe. Okay?”

“Okay,” Oriana whispered.

“You should go. Your transport is ready. There are things I need to do.”

“What are you doing?”

She let her go and stood next to her, gesturing in the distance. “See the man over there, in the black armour?”

“Yeah.” She paused before adding, “Wow. He’s hot! Who is it?”

“Commander Shepard.”

“Oh my god! You’re working with Commander Shepard?! I’d heard stories…”

“Don’t believe everything you read, but yes, I’m working with him now. But really, I can’t say anything more.”

She walked them to the nearby transport that would take them off to their new home. She shared a handshake with the father, a short hug with the mother, and then a longer embrace with Oriana. “Will you stay in contact?”

“Yes. From now on, I will, but we’ll have to play it safe.”

“Okay.” She let her go and turned just before stepping onto the ship. “Bye, Miranda. Nice to finally meet you. Guess I have a guardian angel after all.”

Miranda simply waved as the door to the ship closed and it took off now more than a couple of minutes later. Turning around, she began the walk towards Shepard and the others but, halfway there, she took a deep shuddering breath and couldn’t help the sobs that took over her body. They were sobs of happiness, soon feeling the arms of someone else almost have to pick her off the ground, feeling those arms wrap around her as she buried her head into his chest, feeling his hand gently caress the back of her head.

She’d never felt such emotions before, always keep them buried deep inside. Now she had a sister who knew she existed. She had a family. And she would now do anything to ensure that family was kept safe.

* * *

I didn’t like the idea of leaving Illium without seeing Shiala and Gianna, but it was only ever meant to be a short stop. Two reasons. Once, I hadn’t planned on visiting Illium again, so dealing with Miranda’s issue was only ever going to take a couple of hours. Two, I’d recently had a meeting with the Illusive Man. He didn’t have any details on the Reaper IFF yet, but did task me with another job, to which the _Normandy_ was heading now.

Events on Illium played out as I thought, though it was nice seeing a softer side to Miranda. I’d never seen her cry before, but it seemed the outpouring of emotion had done her some good. Returning to the ship, I ordered its immediate departure, heading straight to our next destination. A planet by the name of Aite.

But that was for later. After returning to the ship, Miranda thanked everyone for their help before most returned to their headquarters. I first dumped armour and weapons in the armoury before checking for any new messages, pleased to see the Illusive Man had at least provided some detail of Aite and what we might find. It was sparse at best but I was sure we’d learn more on the ground.

After dinner, I headed into the bar, grabbed a bottle, and headed towards Miranda’s room. Walking in, she was comfortable on the lounge, watching us travel through space, though she glanced my way and smiled when seeing me walk in with a bottle and two glasses. “What have you brought me?”

“A toast to a job well done, so I was thinking some good scotch.”

“Ah, a man after my own heart, Shepard.” I took a seat next to her, pouring us a good snifter each, before we clinked glasses. “Always nice when a mission ends on a positive note.”

She took a sip of her drink, then leaned over and kissed me, quite unexpectedly I might add. I certainly hadn’t planned anything. She leaned back a moment before leaning forward to kiss me again. At least I expected it that time, so I could react in a better way. When she leaned back again, I asked, “So I’m guessing we’re not drinking?”

“No, we’re not.”

“You know, I didn’t help because…”

“Shepard, I’m in a really good mood, no, I’m in a fantastic mood right now. And what I really want to do is fuck the guy who helped me save my sister. You’re not seriously…” I kissed her hard to assure her I wasn’t going to say no. Pulling back, she did say, “Are you interested in something else though?”

“Oh, what?”

“Well, there was someone else who helped me who…”

I sat back for a moment and couldn’t help chuckle. “You’re serious?”

“That weird you out?”

“No, of course not. It’s just unexpected. But if you’re serious…”

“I think we’ve agreed this is all just for fun, Shepard, so why not add a little more?”

“By all means.”

Miranda smiled, kissed me again, then made her request to EDI. I’m sure there was a short conversation, as ten minutes later, Jacob walked into the room to find Miranda already down to her bra and panties as we made out. Miranda stopped for long enough to lock the door and beckon him over. Jacob looked a little confused before he grinned. “Ah, I see what’s going on here. Miss Lawson has ideas. Is that the case, Shepard?”

“I’m guessing she does, Jacob. You fine with it?”

“Sure. You?”

“This isn’t my first rodeo. Shit, some of the stories I could tell you.”

Miranda gently pushed me back as she stood up, looking like the goddess she was in just her black bra, black panties, and heels. “Strip, both of you.”

Jacob and I shared a glance, shrugged, and proceeded to get undressed. If she thought the idea of me being nude in front of another guy was going to put me off, she was underestimating me. One of the things you get used to first in the service is seeing men and women naked and, most of the time, it simply isn’t sexy. It’s just… nudity. Jacob has no qualms either, and soon we were both standing in front of Miranda. I was already rock hard, considering we’d been making out with a little hand action, while Jacob would no doubt rise to the occasion in time.

What surprised me is Miranda stood between us, then got down onto her knees, moving her head in my direction, so I moved my cock for her and she soon started to blow me, while stroking Jacob, and he was hard rather quickly. Jacob and I shared another glance and chuckled. “Honestly, I didn’t come in here expecting this. I brought a bottle of scotch…”

Miranda stopped for a moment. “Are you seriously complaining?”

I looked down. “No, I’m not. Now keep blowing me.”

She smiled. “Oh, I like it when you give me orders like that, Shepard.”

Jacob chuckled again as Miranda was soon trying to swallow my entire length, though she was soon giving Jacob some attention at the same time. If you want to know about Jacob, he was what you would expect from someone who’d served in the military. Muscular. Quite a few scars. Tattoos that reflected regiments he may have served in. No chest hair to speak of. And an impressive member between his legs.

I wasn’t sure if Miranda wanted to get us both off or not, but I didn’t leave the decision to her, as after she’d spent some time pleasing us both, I picked her up and carried her to bed, putting her on all fours, Jacob getting on his knees in front of her, as I got behind her and pleasured her with my mouth in return. Within a few minutes, Jacob was joking that she could barely concentrate on blowing him, so I relented enough and he was soon making noises I recognised, praising Miranda for her talents, before he finally came in her mouth.

When she was satisfied, I continued eating her out, and it didn’t take long to bring her to orgasm, giving that arse of hers a good squeeze or a gentle slap along the way. Once she’d calmed down, all she did was spin around and resume blowing me. Jacob was going to return the favour until Miranda turned back and simply said, “Top drawer.”

As Miranda blew me, Jacob opened the drawer and pulled out a bottle of lube. His eyes did widen slightly as he said, “So I’m guessing we’re doing that then.”

“Later. First, just get me good and ready.”

So as I was blown, Jacob seemed to rather enjoy pouring lube on her arse, covering each cheek in it, really giving them a good squeeze, before she started to slide a finger into her arse first, though he quickly realised she could take a couple more rather quickly. When he had three in her, that made her stop and moan, and he quickly realised she wouldn’t be able to concentrate much, so relented for long enough that she could blow me to completion as well.

After she’d swallowed my load, she looked up and smiled as I simply ran my fingers though her hair, glancing to see Jacob was now reapplying three fingers. “Well, consider me impressed, Miss Lawson,” I said.

“Soon as Jacob agreed to a possible liaison, I figured why not both of you at the same time.”

“Who gets the pleasure of your arse?”

“Oh, both of you as I’ve prepared for this, but I want you last, Shepard.”

I needed a few minutes to recover from her blowjob, so Miranda moved as Jacob and I kneeled behind her, his fingers in her arse, mine in her pussy. We laughed and joked as Miranda squealed and moaned at what we were doing. We were certainly not rough or anything, trying to keep her as excited as possible. Too much, in fact, as she eventually had another orgasm, causing Jacob and I to share a glance. “Well, I think we might be wearing her out tonight,” I said.

“She’ll wear us out too, Shepard.”

“Probably, but it’ll be good fun.”

Getting rock hard again wasn’t a problem, and I was soon on my back, Miranda straddling my body, rubbing her pussy along my shaft to tease me, before she finally lifted herself up and pretty much slid down my cock rather quickly, burying it inside her. Leaning forward, she kissed me before enjoying just me for a couple of minutes. Really enjoying me, in all honesty, before she finally glanced back. “Okay, Jacob, just take it easy to begin with.”

I couldn’t exactly see, but I watched her face as Jacob slid his cock into her arse. There was definite discomfort to begin with, perhaps a slight crease of pain, but once she was used to it, her face lit up with enjoyment. Then it was simply establishing a rhythm that worked for the three of us. With Jacob in the way, I couldn’t bend my legs in the usual way, though he seemed to sense that, positioning himself in a way that he was really driving his cock into her arse, which she loved. That allowed me to really start fucking her at the same time, which she also loved.

“Fuck me, both of you,” she cried.

We made her cum again rather quickly, collapsing onto my chest though demanding neither of us stop until we cum inside her. Jacob and I could at least share a glance, shrug, and kept on fucking her. I’m sure we made her cum at least twice more before Jacob couldn’t hold back any longer, really burying himself again and again as he came. She squealed out, not from pain, actually laughing as he fell forward, holding himself up just enough to stop squashing us. She leaned back and kissed his cheek. “Your cock feels great in my arse, Jacob. It’s been a long time,” she whispered.

“Sure has. Last time, it was only us two though. No offence, Shepard.”

“Well, you get my pussy next. Missed it?”

“I won’t lie and say I don’t regret it ending, Miranda.”

“Geez, if you two need some space,” I joked.

Both looked at me and smiled. Jacob pulled out, leaving me alone with Miranda. Leaning forward on her forearms, she gave me a hard kiss, then demanded I fuck her hard. What the lady wants, the lady got. There was a reason, of course, as I lasted all of five minutes before leaving a load inside her as well. That pleased her as she gave me another kiss before rolling off, arms and legs splayed as she giggled to herself. Jacob flopped onto the bed beside her.

“Well, quite the night so far,” I said.

“Can you take much more, Miranda?” Jacob wondered.

“Jacob, Shepard is fucking my arse. Neither of you are leaving until that is done. And I know you want this pussy too, Jacob.”

“Well, you’re not wrong there, I guess.”

She scoffed. “You guess…”

Miranda suggested I look in the other chest of drawers next to the bed, taking out some cloths and bacterial wipes. If you think sex isn’t messy, think again. Thankfully, she must have prepared herself beforehand, so the act of anal itself was clean, but if Jacob wasn’t going to fuck her next, he needed to ensure he was clean, plus Miranda needed a bit of a clean-up too, as she was leaking cum from both holes.

Grabbing the bottle of scotch, I poured us all a glass as we sat back, sipping, and chatting about nothing in particular before I had to ask, “So when were you two fucking?”

“When you were a meat bag, Shepard,” Jacob replied, “Miranda needed stress relief. So did I. She’s obviously attractive. I was someone without baggage and had a dick. We satisfied the needs of the other.”

“Wow, you make it sound so… clinical.”

“It wasn’t romance, Shepard,” Miranda stated with a chuckle, “You should know that you can have sex just for the enjoyment of sex.”

“True. Why did you end it though?”

“Cerberus are not exactly keen on their operatives being physically intimate. Dedication to the cause above all. And, we both knew there was a chance of us being distracted. And if the Illusive Man found out…”

“Which he probably did, Miranda,” Jacob stated, “Nothing went on without his knowledge.”

“Explain Wilson,” Miranda retorted.

“Shit, I wouldn’t be surprised if he left Wilson there as a first test for Shepard.”

Miranda met my eyes and I shrugged before stating, “Sounds plausible, knowing the man as I do now. He seems confident I’m not going to just up and die on him.”

Finishing our drinks, Miranda immediately kissed me, quickly moving down my body to take my cock in her mouth once again. This was simply to get the mood back, and though I was half-erect, it didn’t take long to get me up again. She rolled over, returning the favour to Jacob, as I ran my hands down her back and over her butt, Miranda spreading her legs so I could begin to fondle her pussy again. She was soon moaning as she sucked on Jacob, and he handed me the bottle of lube so I could get her and myself ready. No delaying this time, straight into it.

Once she was happy, Jacob positioned himself and Miranda slid down his cock, letting them fuck for a couple of minutes before I joined in. Once I had my cock nice and lubed up, Miranda stopped moving so I could slide into her arse. She was rather accommodating, no doubt helped by the fact Jacob had been there earlier, though she still gasped when the head of my cock slid in, and I took my time giving her my entire length. But once I was buried, she simply asked we both fuck her.

Jacob and I needed to establish a working rhythm again, and once we did, we had Miranda moaning and squealing once again. I was trying not to pound her arse too hard, but I was enjoying the sounds being made whenever my skin slapped against hers, giving each cheek a hearty slap every so often as well. Leaning forward, I changed the angle which made her moan loudly.

“Fuck me, Shepard.”

“Time to bring it home, Jacob.”

Miranda Lawson was fucked hard for the next few minutes. Her orgasm, when it arrived, must have been mind-blowing. We actually had to stop as I fear she’d actually passed out. She hadn’t, she just needed a few moments to recover. Resting low, just off Jacob, she insisted we continue until we both came again, and to keep doing what we’d been doing. I could meet Jacob’s eyes. All I did was shrug, as did he, and we continued to pound her.

It lasted another ten minutes at most before he need to cum. Asking if he could move, Miranda lifted herself up enough that he could slide out, before she lowered her head, raised her arse, looking back. “My arse is yours to own now, Shepard,” she murmured.

I gave it another good slap before leaning forward, grabbing a handful of hair, gently pulling back as she moved up onto her hands. “God yes, Shepard. Just like this.”

“Your arse is mine, Lawson. I might get a tattoo on here. Property of Shepard. Co-owned by Jacob Taylor, of course.”

“Thanks, Shepard.”

I kept pounding her as my orgasm was still in the distance, and I did wonder how much Miranda could take before asking me to stop. I eventually lifted her up so she rested against me, moving my arm down her body so I could fondle her clit as I kissed her neck, or she moved her head to kiss me. “Keep going,” she moaned.

Now I was really driving into her, and had to admit I was impressed at her stamina, and probably her pain threshold. Or she was just one of those rare women who loved it in the arse and could take a real pounding. When I felt my orgasm approached, I gently pushed her forward and positioned myself to really drive into her. She recognised it and urged me on. “Faster, Shepard. Harder. Really give it to me until you cum.”

I did all that for another couple of minutes at most before I buried my cock completely and it felt like an explosion. I definitely groaned loudly, hearing Jacob actually chuckle next to use, before I needed to relax on top of Miranda, both of our bodies dropping down, making sure I didn’t squash her too much. We lay together like that for at least five minutes before I needed to move. Sitting back on my knees, I took a moment to check out my work.

“Miranda, I will admit, you have one well fucked arse right now. How do you feel?”

“Euphoric, Shepard. Thank you. Both of you. And not just for what just happened.”

“No sweat, Miranda. We did a good thing today,” Jacob said, “Glad your sister is safe.”

I poured Miranda a glass of scotch as she stayed on her bed, holding a towel between her legs, leaking again as she was. Jacob and I sat to either side again, now sitting back and relaxing with a glass as well, chatting about nothing in particular, simply letting the mood calm down before we would get dressed and disappear. Jacob was the first to go, Miranda wrapping a dressing gown around her as she walked him to the door, the pair sharing a brief kiss before he walked out, the door closing and locking as Miranda joined me on the bed, taking the gown off.

She leaned over to kiss me again before simply cuddling into me. I’ll admit to some relief as I wasn’t sure I could go again anytime soon. “Next time, maybe just you and me. Not saying that wasn’t a hell of a lot of fun, but Jacob deserves some me time too.”

“You’re free to choose what you want, Miranda. As you no doubt learned, I’m open minded… to a point.”

“So you don’t want to fuck Jacob, or have him fuck you, if I was there?”

“I’m not bisexual, Miranda. I thought that would have been obvious by now. And I’m not one of those people that just suddenly changes on a whim. I know what I love.”

“Hey, you never know. You might not have found the right guy yet.”

She was obviously teasing me so I could at least laugh. I took another sip of scotch as I said, “Look, comfortable to admit Jacob is a good looking dude. Looks after himself. Impressive specimen between the legs. Trust me, after years in the army, you get used to seeing things. Seen more naked men and women than most people. And then there’s the ‘boys on tour’ kind of stuff. It’s amazing how gay straight men can sometimes be once let off the leash. Think it comes from having to suppress everything for weeks on end, that when it finally explodes, it leads to some weird and wacky things.”

“I almost hesitate to ask.”

“Stories for another day, Miranda.”

Feeling her snuggle into me, I was left wondering where I was going to be spending the night. I didn’t really want to fuck her and just leave, but I was fairly sure she’d also be expecting that. So I had to make a decision. “EDI, can you patch me through to the cabin.”

_“Of course, Shepard. Patching you through now.”_ I waited a few seconds then heard, _“I know where you are, Shepard. It’s fine.”_

“Are you sure?”

_“Shepard, I’ve told you before. You’re not just going to fuck someone else then leave them. Spend the night with Miranda. But I get dibs on him tomorrow night, Miss Lawson.”_

“Thank you, Kelly,” Miranda said gently.

_“My pleasure. A bit unexpected, but I guess after what happened, I certainly don’t blame you for wanting to express thanks and gratitude in a certain way. I’ll see you both at breakfast in the morning.”_

“Goodnight, Kelly,” I said, and I heard the line close.

Miranda immediately pulled back the covers so we could snuggle underneath, turning so we could make out for a little bit. Making out led to more hands wandering, but we didn’t end up fucking or anything. It was simply a bit of fun, lots of sweet talking, plenty of giggling, but we were both rather tired at the end of a long day. She eventually snuggled into my chest, curling herself up against me, and went to sleep, no doubt finding my fingers gently caressing her back comforting.

Rising the next morning, she was certainly in a great mood, though any ideas of anything sexual ended when both our stomachs rumbled. We laughed before getting up and dressing, heading out into the mess together. It fell silent, of course, though neither of us really cared.

“Pay up, Massani. I told you those two were going to fuck,” Garrus exclaimed.

“Really, Garrus?” I asked, grabbing a tray from nearby.

“Oh, please, I had you two figured from the moment you offered to help her.”

Miranda sat down at the table next to where I normally sat. “Any bets on Jacob, Garrus?”

“What?”

“Jacob. Did you take bets on him last night?”

I sat down as Garrus looked between me, Miranda, and then down at Jacob. “Hang on, are you saying Shepard _and_ Jacob were with you last night?”

Jack burst into laughter. “I fucking told you, bird brain! Give those sweet, sweet credits! Massani, play your cards right, you can win your money back during our next card game.”

“Spirits, what the hell is it with this ship?” Garrus muttered, handing over a small stack of credits to Jack.

Kelly simply leaned into my side as I laid a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Are you okay?” I asked quietly.

“Of course, Shepard. I still have dibs tonight?”

“Definitely. Sorry if I…”

“Not necessary. As long as you had fun.”

“Certainly did.”

I don’t think anyone knew that the good times and feelings were about to come to a crashing halt.


	42. Fallen

Miranda had done some digging on my behalf and learned what we might find in regards to Project Overlord on Aite. Apparently, in his infinite wisdom, the Illusive Man thought running experiments on geth was a worthwhile exercise. I swear, for someone who claimed to be a genius, he made some really dumb fucking decisions at times. Maybe it was simple common sense that he didn’t seem to grasp. One major rule of anything in the galaxy. Don’t go fucking around with geth. Simples.

Figuring out this was going to be a bitch of an assignment, and knowing geth were going to be involved, when it came to selecting a team, my first and obvious choice was Tali. She was always looking for an excuse to kill geth, and this sounded like the perfect opportunity. Garrus didn’t particularly like geth either after all our run ins, so I selected him too. Knowing what geth were like, and also intrigued herself as to what exactly was going on, Miranda offered to join and I accepted without hesitation. Kasumi and her cloaking ability was always handy, plus she wanted to work alongside Tali. I wanted muscle when it came to geth, so Grunt would join in, causing havoc with me. Finally, geth can’t really withstand biotics, so I asked Samara to join me again. She hadn’t really much experience with the geth so was pleased that she’d have the chance to pit her wits against a new enemy.

Arriving in orbit around Aite, it looked like your typical garden world, ripe for colonising efforts. From what I had read, though, it was on borrowed time, as one of its moons was predicted to impact with the planet within a couple of centuries, and that would wipe out all life in an instant. There were small pockets of civilisation, but the planet was effectively lawless. The Cerberus facility was well away from any population centres, and the sort of place those of us on the old _Normandy_ would have dealt with before. Let’s just say we were experiencing some déjà vu when boarding the shuttle.

It was quiet during the descent, though Tali twitched with nervous energy. Miranda sat grim faced, no doubt worried about what we were going to find. The rest of us simply checked over weapons and armour for a final time before the shuttle finally touched down, opening the door to be greeted by a large facility, though surprisingly empty of people. I would have thought someone would have been around to greet us.

“Well, if this isn’t ominous,” Garrus muttered.

As we spread out, a voice suddenly boomed over a loudspeaker, introducing himself as Doctor Gavin Archer, explaining that there was a ‘catastrophic VI breakout’. He gave no further details, which didn’t exactly impress me, but he at least gave us something to do. The door to the facility was unlocked, and we walked into a scene of carnage and devastation. And a lot of dead bodies, and also geth. Tali was ready to get blasting. She might not like Cerberus but she hated geth with every fibre of her being. We checked for signs of life, but most were long past saving. And, from what it looked like, they’d been slaughtered as they worked. Very few were armed as if they had managed to fight back.

Wandering into an office, Archer must have been following our progress, as his face appeared on a nearby monitor. He was an older gentleman, and the dark circles under his eyes spoke of someone on veer exhaustion and stressed out. He gave us a little more information, though nothing that really explained this rogue VI, and we moved on, directed to find the controls of the satellite dish. Apparently the VI was trying to escape.

Finding the controls, I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy, and it wasn’t, the rogue VI discovering our intention and putting a halt to that. As we were doing that, Miranda was busy at work, looking for information on the systems, and that’s when we had confirmation they were experimenting with live geth. That only gave an excuse for Tali to start yelling at Miranda and I eventually had to split the two apart. “Miranda isn’t part of this, Tali,” I said.

She looked at me as if I’d slapped her. “You’re supporting her?” she spat.

I sighed, as I knew why she would ask a question like that. “I think Miranda has proven… open-minded in regards to what she had learned. And I think it’s already clear she doesn’t support what was happening here.”

“She’s still Cerberus, Shepard. She’s still one of them, even if you want to fuck her.” That pissed me off, and Tali seemed to realised she’d put her foot in it, lowering her head immediately. “Shit. Sorry, Shepard. That wasn’t right.”

“No, it’s fine. I figured it was going to be an issue eventually. What Miranda and I might do in privacy is personal. I believe I have always kept my personal and professional lives separate, and that’s what I’m doing. I think accusing Miranda of whatever is happening here isn’t correct, that is all I’m saying, Tali.”

Tali met my eyes from behind the mask, gave a brief nod, before she turned to look at Miranda. “I apologise. Though you might wear the symbol, you are not involved with whatever these idiots are doing here.”

“Thank you, Tali.”

We moved on, and realised the geth were there in force, as not only did they have the regular troops we’d shot in their hundreds, but also some of the bigger geth machines that could be a real bitch to take down. Tali spent most of her time laughing away, disabling shields, overloading weapons, causing them to attack each other. I charged this way and that, shotgun blasting, the rest doing what they did best.

The facility was bigger than they thought, and they ended up on a tram that took them to the satellite dish. Archer explained that they needed to blow it up to stop the program from escaping the planet. “Shit. It must want to use the Normandy as a launch pad,” Tali stated.

“How the hell can a VI do any of this?” I asked, “I’m not technically minded, but even I know VI…”

“It’s clearly not VI, Shepard,” Tali muttered.

The satellite dish was enormous, and we had nothing to actually blow it up with. I hadn’t brought a heavy weapon, though wish I now had my Arc Projector, as that would have caused havoc in the geth lines. And they had taken control of the satellite dish and its surrounding area, dug in, waiting for us. Switching to my assault rifle, I worked in tandem with Garrus as we slowly but surely pushed them back, Samara and Miranda close behind, using their biotics, Grunt taking a different path as a diversion, blasting and stomping any geth he came into contact with.

As we worked, Archer suggested we blow up the struts holding up the satellite dish. I was about to tell him we had no explosives when he suggested we blow up each capacitor. I figured that wouldn’t exactly give us a lot of time to escape, but we had no other option. Once we cleared the geth, which took longer than I would have liked, as there were far too many of the larger geth that were a bitch to take down, and we took a few wounds along the way.

But the geth were dead, and we managed to disable and then destroy the satellite dish. We barely survived, having to leap from one ledge to another as the walkways we were on started to collapse. As we almost piled on top of one another, there was more than once chuckle as I got up, helping the others to their feet. Helping Samara, she took my hand and held it for longer than I would have expected, a look in her eyes I knew well. “Life with you is interesting, Shepard. And, I will admit, quite a lot of fun.”

“Glad you’re enjoying yourself, Samara.”

“What we are dealing with is serious, Shepard, but I will admit I have smiled and laughed more since joining your crew than I had in centuries.”

“We’re staring death in the face, Samara. Can’t be serious all the time. Come on, we should see if this Archer is willing to meet face to face. Then we can deal with whatever the fuck is going on here.”

Wandering back into the facility, Archer was waiting for us at the tram station. None of us were too pleased to find geth on the planet, and having figured out what the facility was up to, Tali was rather close to putting her shotgun into his gut, demanding an explanation. But we all waited until we arrived back in the control room. I grabbed his collar and threw him into a chair, and that’s when he seemed to realise he was surrounded by seven heavily armed and rather pissed off people.

“What is Project Overlord?” I asked.

"We were attempting to gain influence over the geth by interfacing a human mind with a VI."

Tali jammed her shotgun into his chest. “What?” she almost screamed, “Are you people insane?”

"As you can tell, results have been… less than satisfactory.” I wasn’t the only one to scoff as he added, “There have been some successes, though."

"How do you mean some successes?" Miranda asked, clearing pissed but intrigued by the research. Tali was furious but would at least be curious as to what progress they had made.

Archer looked away, clearly uncomfortable, before responding. "My brother, David, volunteered to be a test subject. Unfortunately, his mind couldn't handle the VI connection."

"How do you mean?" I asked carefully. I didn’t believe anyone would just volunteer.

Archer sighed. "Whatever happened, he's like a virus now. He's infected all our networks planet-side and seizing control of any technology he finds."

"I assume that's why we had to destroy the satellite dish?"

Archer nodded. "Imagine if every piece of technology we used was turned against us. It would be the end of days. The sort of thing you used to see in movies”

"Yet you still thought this was a good idea?" Miranda retorted.

"This was to be for the benefit of humankind."

“Bullshit,” I growled, “This would only be the benefit of the Illusive Man and whatever he has cooking up in that mind of his.” I stepped forward, resting my shotgun on his shoulder. “Rest assured, Doctor. Project Overlord ends today. So, you will tell me how this ends, Doctor. How do we shut this down?”

"The VI… My brother is based at Atlas Station. It's the main laboratory where we carried out the majority of our experiments. But it's locked down."

"How do we get there?"

Archer keyed his omni-tool. "There is a garage nearby with an M-44 Hammerhead. Use that for transportation. You'll need to override security systems at both Prometheus and Vulcan stations. It's a fail-safe system. There are three overrides in total. I can unlock the first one here."

The Hammerhead was a flimsy piece of shit, armour barely able to hold back bullets fired by a pistol, slow and unwieldy, and barely came equipped with an adequate cannon. I hated it from the start. And that was just the start of our bad day. Vulcan Station was filled with geth and mechs, a hot, depressing, lava filled cavern. It was obviously used to power the entire complex, and by the time we’d reached the over-ride, we were all fed-up, ready to wipe the geth out completely, and I was definitely going to interrogate Archer once we were done.

Heading out of Vulcan, there was discussion about the apparent VI and Archer’s brother. Knowing what Cerberus was like, I almost dreaded what they were doing, but the fact his own brother was the lead… And I knew I wasn’t the only one with those thoughts in mind as we boarded the Hammerhead.

Prometheus Station was a crashed geth ship. Tali wondered why it had crashed on the planet to begin with, as although it was close the Veil, there was nothing on the planet that could have possibly caused it to crash and she doubted a geth ship would malfunction that badly. Approaching the wreck carefully, the first announcement when walking through the door caused a ripple of nervous laughter.

"_Attention visitors. This Cerberus facility contains hazardous AI technology."_

“Bunch of idiot fucking bosh’tets,” Tali muttered. I stopped and stared at her.

“Shepard, you are a bad influence,” Garrus stated.

“Oh, please, language is nothing compared to what we did before I died for two years.”

She glanced my way, and her eyes were amused, at least. “Lot of good memories, Shepard, enjoying both male and female humans. Let’s just say I spread one or two positive rumours about the human body, particularly men.”

I couldn’t help chuckle as we moved on. “So, if I ever end up on the fleet, I’ll have some fans.”

“Definitely.”

“That’s all Shepard needs, more women to fuck,” Miranda joked.

“Don’t hear you complaining, Miss Lawson,” I retorted.

“I’ll only complain if I don’t have you in my arse again soon.” That brought everyone to a halt, staring first at me, then Miranda. “What? Come on, you all know we’ve had sex.”

“Well, yeah, but you’re being so… blunt,” Garrus said awkwardly.

She gestured towards me. “Hanging around him too much has that effect. And, what can I say, the man’s a great fuck.”

Tali simply nodded her head in agreement. Kasumi turned her head and I saw her eyes behind her hood. Even Samara met my eyes and grinned. “If I was a few centuries younger, Shepard…”

“Oh…”

“Do you know how flexible asari can be?”

“Actually, yes. Shiala can get her feet behind her head.” I pause before saying, “And I just told you all that. But, fuck it, I’ve even taken pictures of her doing it.”

“Well, at least you know what we can do, Shepard,” Samara stated, “And even someone at my age can be remarkably flexible.”

“Now you’re just teasing, Samara.”

“There is a lot of sex on the ship, Shepard. It still holds an appeal despite my vow.”

Walking past what seemed like hundreds, if not thousands of docile geth wasn’t easy, wanting to just open up and start firing. And it was obvious that some of them either survived the crash, or woke up afterwards, as they had clearly slaughtered nearly everyone at the facility. Can’t really blame them, though, if Cerberus did experiment on them.

And, of course, once we reached our objective, and needed to make our way out of the ship, the geth decided that was the perfect time to wake up and stop us leaving the crashed shit. Getting out took us at least a couple of hours. At times like that, having Tali with us was priceless. With her expertise of the geth, and me causing havoc as I charged around, they didn’t really stand a chance, though their sheer weight of numbers did mean we moved only by inches most of the time.

We also found more human bodies around, clear evidence that they’d been herded by the geth and the executed, blood stains on the walls and it was obvious that the deaths were recent. It was hard to feel sympathy though I guess no-one deserved death at the hands of geth. My memories of them were not great, after all.

Somehow, we made it out of the ship, one or two wounds being slapped with medi-gel, but nothing major requiring a retreat to the facility for extraction. Boarding the Hammerhead, Archer once again gave us information over the comm, stating the lockdown had ended and we could now proceed to Atlas Station.

“What do you plan on doing with him?” Miranda asked as I drove. Or flew.

“I’m still considering it.”

“Worth a bullet?”

“It’s an option.”

“I’m not sure there is another one. Someone involved in an operation like this…”

“You do realise the Illusive Man would know about this.”

“Of course he would. No way something like this would have been funded without his express knowledge. But, as I told you, each cell operates independently. No-one else would have known about Project Lazarus. Sure, there would have been rumours, and perhaps one or two would have put things together considering the credits thrown at your re-build, but that’s still no excuse.”

I glanced her way. “It sounds like you might be evaluating certain life choices, Miranda.”

She met my eyes, a grim face returned. “Correct.”

Atlas Station appeared to be another facility, though this one was buried into a mountainside. Climbing out of the Hammerhead once I’d parked us up, we immediately headed inside and got to work. And what we quickly discovered sent a chill down each of our spines. It wasn’t just the fact it was his brother. It was the condition he suffered, added to what it seemed he was being put through. I’m fairly sure I made my decision then and there.

The geth were waiting for us, of course, though in nowhere near the numbers as their crashed ship. We knew they’d be there so had prepared accordingly, Tali ready to unleash all manner of tech attacks at a moment’s notice, while I was ready to charge and Samara to rain biotic destruction down on their flashlight heads.

Something weird happened a little later as we made it to some sort of VI interface. It had been watching our progress, of course, and had hacked anything with VI or AI to attack us. But when I pressed a button to do… something, it hacked into my omni-tool and also took control of my cybernetics, and I seemed to enter the world of… I’m not sure.

Hard to explain what I experienced after that. I seemed to see the memories of Archer’s brother. And what I saw shocked and angered me, and my resolve hardened even more. But it was what I eventually found in the core itself, what he’d actually done to his brother, it was nothing short of torture. The poor boy was…

When Archer made his appearance, I let the rage flow. He didn’t see it coming. He must have thought I’d accept it. Like hell I would. The first punch was to his solar plexus, knocking the wind from him. The next was an uppercut that put him on his arse. Then I calmly sat down on his chest, grabbed his collar, and put my fist into his face again… and again…. and again… By the time I was done, he still lived, but barely. I looked up to see my six colleagues, and they all took a step back. I did wonder what I looked like, looking down at my glove to see it dripping with blood.

Taking the pistol from its holster, I opened up his mouth, now missing a few of his teeth, making sure he could feel the cold steel. “Feel that Archer?” I asked quietly. His left eye was barely open, but I could see him looking. “This is how close you come to death today. I could kill you easily, but no, that’s the easy way out. I’m going to make sure the rest of your life is constant agony, as no doubt your brother won’t be having it easy going forward.”

I hauled him up and used a few moves, ensuring I either broke bones or caused muscles to snap. By the time I was done, he’d barely be able to drag himself out of the facility, and I simply dragged him to a corner and threw him in it.

Then we got to work on getting his brother down. The mental scars alone would have been horrific. But even the physical scars caused a couple of people to turn away. The normally ice cool Miranda Lawson couldn’t stop her tears, wiping her cheeks a few times as we finally lowered the young man to the ground. Miranda disappeared and eventually found a sedative so we could knock him out. I called in the shuttle, asking for Chakwas to attend with Mordin, the pair arriving fifteen minutes later with a gurney. She took one look at him and ordered us to carefully lift him then we’d get out.

As we were walking out, I glanced at Archer one last time. He hadn’t moved since I’d thrown him. I actually didn’t think he’d live all that long. “Should I just shoot him?” I wondered aloud.

Miranda turned back to me, looking at him. “Fuck him, Shepard. What he’s done, he deserves to die slowly for it. You’re doing the galaxy a favour by leaving him to rot. Should ask Tali to wake up a few geth before we go, maybe they can go hunting.”

In the end, we just left him there. I doubted I’d ever see him again.

Back on the _Normandy_, Chakwas, Mordin and Miranda got to work on David Archer as I instructed Joker to head away, trying to think of where to send him. It was actually Miranda who finally suggested Grissom Academy. I’d never heard of it, but she mentioned it purely because I was now biotic, Jack was a human biotic as well, and it was a school for those gifted either with biotic or those who show higher levels of intelligence than normal. And David was apparently a savant in all things mathematical.

So we immediately headed there.

That night, I was still pissed off about everything we’d discovered, enough that Kelly felt it necessary to take action. Sex was the last thing on my mind, and she seemed to realise that, but still had me join her in our cabin, where she slowly undressed me, then herself, before leading me into the bathroom, where we stood under the hot water and she simply hugged me. I’ll admit, I felt a little better within a couple of minutes.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“I’m always here when you need me, Shepard.”

It wasn’t all that surprising that the academy didn’t exactly want to let a Cerberus ship dock but I asked the woman in charge, Kahlee Sanders, to contact Anderson and that he’d at least vouch for me. Mentioning his name seemed to do the trick immediately as we were allowed to dock without any further delay. David was still sedated as he was left off and I explained the situation and left nothing back as I explained what happened. “Oh my god,” Kahlee whispered once I finished.

“Yeah. Working with them to take down the Collectors already left a bad taste. After this? The only thing keeping me around is the fact we need to beat the Collectors. Once that’s over though…”

“Anderson is aware of everything?”

“I keep him in the loop but I obviously don’t share everything to cover both our arses.”

“Good. I’ll let him know what you’ve done here. Sure it’ll be a smile on his face. Otherwise, thanks for bringing him straight to us, Shepard. We’ll look after him.”

“I would ask for updates, but everything on the ship is monitored…”

“He’s in good hands, Shepard. Don’t worry.”

Ordering the _Normandy_ away immediately, I looked around the CIC as we moved off, and I was eft wondering if there might be more than one defection away from Cerberus after what we’d discovered. I’d come to the conclusion that most of the crew were not card carrying members of Cerberus, loyal to the core, fanatical in their beliefs. Many were recent recruits, joining up to serve on the ship. Now that they’d seen the depths to which Cerberus was willing to plunge, I had a feeling quite a few might end up walking away when I finally told the Illusive Man to do one.

Still, that was for later. I was in a good mood having left Archer in the care of good people, confident that although his recovery would be a slow one, he’d eventually get better and have people who would care for his needs.

As the crew started to unwind at the end of another long day, as it was always amazing how busy the ship could be when we were just transiting from one planet to another, I headed to the lounge for a drink, figuring I might be joined later by some of the others. Grabbing a glass of the brown with some ice, I sat back on one of the lounges and relaxed, gazing out upon the blackness of space, hundreds of stars twinkling in the distance. It was sometimes enough to help me drift off at night, the window above the bed providing a wondrous view of the galaxy, if not the universe itself.

There hadn’t been any sign of Kasumi, though she was the first to appear a little later, plopping herself down next to me after grabbing a drink for herself. “We did a good thing, Shepard.”

“That we did. I like a story with a happy ending. Doesn’t happen all the time.”

“Guess that means the Illusive Man is on your naughty list.”

“Already on it. That’s just set it in stone. There isn’t a thing he can say to justify it, though I didn’t even bother getting him on the line to rant and rave. In one ear, out the other, claiming it was all to benefit humanity.” I scoffed, followed by a bitter laugh. “Complete and utter fuckwit.”

“Do you have any regrets about Archer?”

“If you mean letting him live, yes. If you mean what I did to him, not at all.”

“I’ve never seen you so angry, Shepard. I mean, I know there are certain things that piss you off…”

“The only thing that stopped me going completely barbaric was a lack of tools.”

“Can I be honest?”

“Sure.”

“That looks in your eyes…” She paused so I stopped and looked at her. She looked at me. “I actually kind of liked it.”

“Huh?”

“That wild animal you keep caged, Shepard. I think you let it loose for a few minutes. You’re dangerous when you want to be.”

“Rule number one. Don’t piss me off. Generally, follow that rule, you won’t need to know the others.”

Walking to the bar to grab the bottle, I poured us both another glass, placing the bottle on the table, as I leaned back again, feeling Kasumi shuffle closer and eventually leaning her head against my shoulder, so I wrapped an arm around her too. “Penny for your thoughts?” I asked.

“Do you find me attractive, Shepard?”

“Well, to be honest, Kas, I don’t often see you without the hood on.”

To my slight surprise, she immediately stood up and looked my way, removing her hood and her jacket, throwing it on the lounge. She wore only a thin white t-shirt underneath, some kind of Japanese character in the middle surrounded by some Japanese writing. But I looked up at her face, and I immediately thought she was gorgeous. Must have shown on my face as she smiled in return. Didn’t ask me what I thought as I guess it was obvious.

Then she stepped in front of me before placing a knee to either side of me as she sat on my lap, knocking back her glass before leaning back to put it next to the bottle. The thin t-shirt showed off her slim body. I guess, at most, she was a C-cup, which was generous for many women of her background. “Shepard, can I be honest about something.”

“I prefer honesty above all.”

“I haven’t been with a man since… since Keiji. And that was a long time ago now.”

“Going that long without intimacy is difficult sometimes.”

“I think it’s obvious we fancy each other, right?” I nodded. “I’m aware of the lifestyle you lead and I guess you should know it doesn’t bother me. All I want to know is if you’re interested?”

“Have been since the day we met.”

That made her smile before she playfully slapped my shoulder. “Then why the hell haven’t we been together yet?”

“Because of Keiji.”

Her face fell slightly. “Oh…”

“You were still grieving, Kas, and the last thing I’m going to do is take an advantage of a grieving woman. I’m a bastard but not that much of a bastard. So I resolved to wait until you were ready to perhaps want to be with me, knowing what I’m like. You’ve told me about the relationship you had with him. I know I can’t offer that. Yes, I can be romantic. I’m sure Kelly has already spoken of what I do for her, but that’s because she’s special to me. Not to say all my other lovers are not. I don’t sleep with women I care nothing for… any longer…”

“So what am I, Shepard?”

“Kasumi Goto, I think you’re a fucking knock-out. Obviously gorgeous. Talented. Intelligent. Funny. And I want to see you naked.”

That made her grin immediately and I knew what was coming as she leaned forward to kiss me. I met her kiss, leaning forward to put the glass down on the table, before leaning back, hands immediately running down her back to her arse, which caused her to grin as I kissed her. “Been waiting to feel your hands there,” she whispered.

“I apologise for any delay in the current service.” She cracked up laughing at my announcement. “Please be aware that the expected service is now arriving. Please be aware that we really should lock the door.”

“Already done.”

“Ah, methinks someone has had this planned, Ms. Goto.”

“Just had to get you alone, Shepard.”

So I made her squeal by easily picking her up, her legs wrapping around me, continuing to make out as I carried her across to her bed. Soon as I had her down, shirts were quickly removed, as was her bra, her fingers immediately grazing my back as I looked, didn’t touch her body, instead focusing on just making out, simply because she was a great kisser, and I didn’t want to rush it. She liked romance, and while it wasn’t going to be anything like she was used to, I wasn’t just going to ‘pump and dump’.

“EDI?”

“_Yes, Shepard?”_

“Let Kelly know I won’t be in the cabin this evening. She’ll know why. If she asks, you can tell her where I am.”

_“No problem, Shepard. I’ll let her know now.”_

“Thanks.” I looked back at Kasumi. “So, how does that sound?”

Kasumi Goto is a beautiful woman when she’s smiling, but add a little shyness to that smile, and she becomes fucking adorable at the same time. The next kiss was far softer as I held her close to my body, feeling her hard nipples against my skin as I ran a hand down her back, giving her arse another gentle squeeze. She giggled again. “Someone likes it.”

“I’ve had more than the occasional look.”

“I know. That’s why I perform certain moves. It distracts the enemy.”

“Distracts me too.”

Trousers were eventually discarded, quickly followed by underwear, until we were both naked. She was rather pale, I guess not a particular surprise, rather slim but I was more than attracted immediately. And once I had her naked, that’s when I thought we could move on from kissing to other things just as fun.

My entire focus was on her, giving her all the attention she needed. That meant using all the tricks I’d learned over the years, finding the erogenous zones of her body and focusing on them, while also fondling her more better known parts of the body. My mouth and fingers were very busy as I made her gasp, moan and giggle as I explored her body. Very smooth skin. Definitely used some sort of scented body wash. Her perfume or deodorant she wore was also refreshing, a light scent on the nose.

She loved it when I spent time playing with her breasts, teasing her nipples as they were hard enough to cut ice. While doing that, I’d move up to her neck, moving her head as I’d made her gasp when I might give her a tiny bite, but just kissing her there provoked a response. When I moved a hand down to check how she was reacting, she immediately spread her legs as I felt how wet she was. The constant attention was working.

“Shepard,” she breathed, moving her face towards mine so I could kiss her again.

“You’re beautiful,” I whispered.

“Still with the compliments.”

“I have no problem continuing to compliment my lovers even when we’re naked and I’m fairly sure this is guaranteed.”

“Shepard, you’re not leaving here with making love to me.” I raised eyebrows at that as she ran a hand through my short hair. “That’s what we’re doing. I like a good… fuck as much as the next girl, but I need… I need it to be special. In my mind.”

“This isn’t a one-time thing, Kasumi. Trust me. I’ve just been waiting until you were ready.”

“And I thank you for that, Shepard.” She kissed me again before whispering. “Can you move down my body and pleasure me?”

“Oh, absolutely, Ms. Goto.”

I did take a moment to sit back on my knees and just appreciate her body. Some women get a little embarrassed when you gaze at them like that. Not Kasumi, who simply lay back with her legs spread wide, chest rising and falling a little quicker from her excitement. Her pussy glistened in the light of the lounge. If I inhaled through my nose, I could even taste her scent, which simply made me harder. Nothing matches the scent of a woman’s excitement, and if you’re the man who is doing it, the self-confidence skyrockets.

She moaned loudly when I finally started. So did I once I tasted her, left thinking I might get a little overexcited myself. Once I was in my groove, she leaned forward to grab her legs, wrapping hands under her knees, and I couldn’t help smile as I stopped for just a moment and looked down. And the gaze in her eyes told me…

“Now?” I asked softly.

“Please, Shepard.”

While I would have enjoyed bringing to her orgasm with my mouth, I think she was going to orgasm no matter what I did. Her eyes lit up as I teased her for a moment before placing the head of my cock at her entrance and ever so gently started to slide it inside her. The smile that quickly appeared on her face simply made her even more beautiful. I buried myself entirely before I leaned down and gave her another kiss. I think she wanted to hug me but kept her hands under her knees.

“Fuck,” she moaned.

“Good?”

“I’m going to cum really quickly. Don’t you even think about stopping when I do.”

I must have only been going for five minutes, not even that long, as I wasn’t going too hard or fast. But she was either incredibly turned on, my cock hit the right place or it was a combination of a million thing. Because she was soon squeezing my cock and when she cried out, she had to let go of her legs to wrap her body around me, holding on as she shuddered underneath me. I did stop moving as I gave her time to let it pass and to calm down, eventually feeling her relax as she met my eyes. “I have felt that since…”

“I’m glad I made you cum.”

She giggled again and kissed me, a soft kiss that spoke of her affection for me. Then I restarted, and what followed was definitely what I would call making love. It was incredibly sweet and tender, our lips rarely apart, and she knew how good just eye contact could be. I watched her face for reactions whenever I changed angle slightly. I loved her little moans and gasps. She was rather complimentary about me in return, which is always nice to hear.

Only when I felt my own orgasm approach did I even think about going quicker, and she must have read my face and body language, as all she said was, “I’ll hang on,” as I started to thrust into her a little faster. That provoked a reaction from both of us, her eyes filling with desire, filling her fingers start to dig into my back as she moved her legs from around me.

"Fuck me,” she breathed. I kissed her hard, feeling her fingers really did into my back, forcing a whimper into my mouth though when we broke apart, needing a breath, she told me to keep going. No chance of me stopping now, and I didn’t last much longer before I enjoyed an orgasm of my own. It was… spectacular, to be honest. The sort that travelled throughout my body, made me see stars, and I groaned particularly loudly before I needed to just do nothing except relax on my forearms, feeling her light kisses on my cheek.

“Worth the wait,” she whispered.

I grunted a response, hearing her chuckle as I needed to move, lying down on my side next to her, though she immediately turned onto her side and cuddled into me. “Sorry for making you wait so long. I’m definitely thinking we could have done that earlier.”

She giggled again as I wrapped an arm around her, feeling one of her hands caressed my chest. “Hope you like Japanese girls with a dose of kleptomania, Shepard.”

“Considering we’ve just had sex…”

“Oh, I meant you’re not getting rid of me easily.”

“Definitely not planning on it now.”

“Can I ask what might seem like a weird question, considering what we’ve just done?”

“Shoot.”

“Do you prefer me with a little hair like now or shaved?”

“Oh, I definitely like now.”

That made her smile. “I always worry because, you know, asari don’t have… and…”

“Okay, I’ll let you in on a secret. Kelly? Natural redhead. She sometimes leaves a little hair there, nicely trimmed, sometimes she’ll shave. It’s up to her but I love it when she leave a little bush. More womanly. Miranda? Shaved, which isn’t a surprise. Chakwas? Natural brunette down below. Not a full bush but I could sort of run my fingers through it. Jack? She was shaved the first time but has since grown a little hair. Ashley? Neatly trimmed. Emily? Not trimmed, not full bush, almost like Chakwas. Gianna? Landing strip of hair, rest shaved when we first met, trimmed since then.”

She started to laugh. “You remember all that off the top of your head?”

“I know women worry about it sometimes. I honestly don’t care. It’s your choice, Kasumi.”

“I notice you keep yourself tidy.”

“Of course. New body doesn’t really promote much growth of hair in certain regions, my groin being one of them.”

“And asari are just bald down there?”

“They are, but it’s something they simply don’t have to concern themselves with. Don’t compare yourself to them.”

“Can be hard sometimes.”

I hugged her closely. “True, but remember. I’m here with you right now, and I’m thinking we should definitely continue certain activities that we both enjoyed.”

Pushing me onto my back, I knew what she wanted immediately, and I watched with a grin as my cock disappeared inside of her seconds later. Then I watched a nubile Japanese woman ride herself stupid on my cock. She would sometimes lean forward, wanting me to kiss her, run my hands over her body, otherwise she’s sit back and grind herself against me. The noises she made simply turned me on even more. I did tease her, licking my thumb and gently rubbing her clit, which tuned her on more at the same time.

She enjoyed another orgasm while riding me, then kept on going afterwards, wanting more, and she wanted me to enjoy another too. I was happy watching her ride me, hands running up and down her body, occasionally dragging her down myself for a kiss, but I simply didn’t have to move. She was doing all the work but she was thoroughly enjoying herself.

“Your cock is magnificent,” she groaned, and I think she was on the verge of another one.

“I’m glad you like it.”

“I love it already, Shepard. You’d better come down here and keep me satisfied.”

“Quite the demand, Ms. Goto. I think I can meet that.”

She giggled. “The tiny Japanese woman can be rather bossy when she wants something.”

“At least I know what you want. Men still haven’t really figured it all out.”

She enjoyed another orgasm a few minutes later, and she was starting to tire now, leaning forward and a last kiss before she whispered, “Want to really fuck me now?”

“Ms. Goto. I thought you’d never ask. How?”

She actually showed me, which is even better. She hopped off and lay down, bringing her legs back and as I leaned forward, she put her legs over my shoulders. Sliding my cock inside her, I definitely grinned as it was very tight. And she was incredibly flexible, as I could bend down and kiss her, legs remaining where they were. “My pussy is now yours to own, Shepard.” I definitely had a look in my eyes as her eye slit up. “That’s just what I wanted to see, Shepard. Fuck me.”

Kasumi Goto got fucked. No way I was going to last too long doing that. She absolutely loved it. They must have heard us out in the mess. I soon had her squealing or moaning loudly. I was groaning, grunting and my language was rather vulgar, though she loved hearing all the things I had to say about her pussy.

When I was about to cum, she quickly moved her legs, knowing I would need to lie down straight away. She rested her arms around my neck as I buried myself a few final times, then leaned down to kiss her as I came. When I was empty once again, I needed to slump down, resting on a forearm as I felt her legs around me, her fingers caressing my back with one hand, the other stroking my cheek as I looked at her.

“Well, that was _definitely_ worth waiting for, Shepard.”

“And we’re definitely doing that again, Ms. Goto.”

We needed a shower after that. She had a dressing gown at least. I wrapped a towel around my waist and followed her to the showers. I asked EDI to close the door and give us some privacy. A little weird showering downstairs, but we still had fun, and they would have heard her giggles from me washing her. Heading back out, we earned more than once glance as we headed back to her room, locking the door again, sitting on the lounge again as we shared a last drink before bed.

“How will this work?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I’m just going with the flow at the moment.”

“We all know Kelly is… You love her, we all know that. But what about those other women you care deeply about?”

“I make it work as best I can. And if it doesn’t work for both of us, then we keep trying or we agree it’s best to end it.”

“Okay, best we just see how things go.”

“But you’d like this continue?”

“God yes, Shepard. I’m already addicted to you.”

Finishing our drink, we headed to bed and, as she spooned into me, I realised how much smaller she was than me. I’d noticed as we made love, but when curled into my body, she was just… small. Almost Jack small. Wrapping my arms around her, I felt her shudder and I wondered why. Then I heard a sniff and I gave her a squeeze, pulling her close.

“Sorry… just… first time since…” I gave her another gentle squeeze, leaning forward to gently kiss her cheek. “You would have liked him. Obviously a thief, but a good man at heart, just like you.” Then she paused. “But he’s gone. And now I’m with you, Shepard. I think I’ve come out of this rather well.”

“Well, I’m glad I’ve got you too, Kasumi.”

“I loved our first night together.”

“So did I. And we’ll have another one soon. I promise.”

“Good. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She shuffled and settled down, feeling her relax rather quickly. I always waited a bit longer to go to sleep, just enjoying her presence next to me before I finally closed my eyes and joined her in slumberland.


	43. Treason

Walking out into the mess with Kasumi the next morning didn’t provoke much of a reaction. People glanced, took notice, then carried on with their conversations. Good, I didn’t want a scene anyway, though knew someone was bound to have a crack at us eventually. Taking a seat next to Kelly, she kissed my cheek and leaned into my side, and I made sure Kasumi was sitting to my other side, and I eventually wrapped an arm around them both, sitting back, making sure I looked smug. Garrus just lowered his fork and chuckled.

“Spirits, Shepard…”

“What?”

“I honestly don’t know how you do it.”

“He has a great cock,” Kasumi said bluntly.

That caused a moment of silence before Kelly added, “God yes, Kasumi. How many times did he make you cum?”

“I think four but I honestly stopped counting. It was just far too enjoyable.”

I would have laughed otherwise, but the fact they were so willing to talk about it, hell, I wanted to hear. “He go down on you?” Kelly asked.

“He did. The attention he gave my body before we even started anything… I was so wet, Kelly. No, I was flowing by the time he finally started. I didn’t let him finish as I needed him inside me. Once he buried himself, my god, no wonder you’re smiling nearly every morning.”

Garrus was gone by this time, laughing away. The looks I was receiving from other women suggested I could have had every single one right then and there and they would have loved it. “Well, I’m glad you had fun, Kasumi. And you are more than welcome to enjoy him again. I can’t deny women his cock, not when I know how good it is. When he buries himself completely…”

“You know, I don’t know if my ego will get upstairs now,” I said.

“Oh, hush, Shepard, you know for a fact I cum hard with you every time,” Kelly retorted, “So I’m getting you tonight, as not only are you going to spend time eating my pussy, but I’m thinking I need a nice hard fuck afterwards.”

Okay, rock hard instantly. She knew as well and her hand soon disappeared under the table as I leaned into her. “We’re not fucking in the mess, Kelly, but you keep doing that…” She turned and I kissed her immediately. Her fork dropped to the ground as she turned and wrapped her arms around me. I’m not sure how long we kissed, but once we broke apart, her creeks were bright red and her eyes were alive with desire. “Finish your breakfast.”

She smiled. “You did that on purpose.”

“Of course I did.” Then I turned to Kasumi and did exactly the same thing before I leaned down to her ear. “Next time, I’m going to fuck you senseless,” I whispered, “And I want you to speak Japanese when I do so.”

“Anata ga watashi o isshōkenmei ni sa seru kagiri, Shepard,” she replied. No idea what she said, but it sounded promising.

Normality was somewhat restored after breakfast as everyone headed back to their quarters or workstations. I headed up the CIC with Kelly, where I stayed with her at her desk for a little while, holding her as she tried to get on with work. She said I was distracting her on purpose, which was true. But I eventually kissed her cheek and headed off.

Must have been an hour at most when EDI asked me to head down to engineering. Not often I was requested to head down there. Didn’t think Jack would be causing trouble. She’d mellowed completely over the past few weeks. We hadn’t been intimate in a long time now, but we spent a lot of time talking. So I guessed it could only mean Tali, wondering what would be on her mind.

When I arrived, she was terribly upset about something. Tali was always cheerful, confident, stiff upper lip, so for her to be so obviously upset was a real surprise. She wasn’t breaking down in tears, though she did seem to be on the verge. It was only when she tried to tell me what was wrong that she couldn’t find the words. There was only one cure. She needed a stiff drink.

So I took her by the hand and led her up to the lounge. As soon as we walked in, Kasumi was up on her feet, a million questions as to what was wrong. They took a stool each, I played bartender as I poured Tali a tall brandy, while I poured Kasumi and I a glass of whiskey. Japanese, which she’d bought specifically during our last visit on the Citadel.

“Okay, Tali. Get that down your neck, then you can tell us what’s wrong.”

She drank it down so fast, I thought she’d hurl it back up. But it seemed to calm her down, hearing her take a few deep breaths. “I received a message from the Migrant Fleet, Shepard. They’re charging me with treason.”

I shared a glance with Kasumi. “What? You?”

She shrugged almost helplessly. “I haven’t been told on what grounds, obviously. Just informed I’ve been formally charged and must return to the Migrant Fleet within a standard galactic week. Failure to appear will lead to automatic exile.”

“Fucking hell,” I muttered, “Okay, we’ll go immediately. Where are they?”

“Oh… Are you sure you have time?”

“Tali, you’re part of my crew. I’m not throwing you to the wolves.”

Kasumi just grinned at me. “Okay… Thanks, Shepard. I’ll find out their location and send it to you as soon as I’m told.”

“Utterly ridiculous, Tali. I can’t think of anyone else who cares for the Fleet more.”

“True. But… they must be confident to charge me so now I’m just thinking what they could possibly have against me.”

“Okay, we’ll discuss this further on the way, Tali, but I’m not having any of this. I know it’s bullshit. You know it’s bullshit. So, rest assured, I’ll do whatever I can to make sure these charges piss off.”

“Thanks, Shepard. I think you being angry might even be a help.”

“If I need to knock some head together for you, just say the word.”

Heading upstairs, Tali had the information I needed to me within ten minutes, inputting that in the galaxy map. Joker obviously noticed the destination and clarified it. I didn’t tell him why, I just ordered him get us there as soon as possible. He said a couple of days, as there were a few ways to get there.

Kelly could see I wasn’t particularly happy so grabbed my hand and pulled me towards her desk, holding her as I was before. She didn’t ask what was wrong, not yet. I’d tell her later that night in privacy. “Want to play with my pussy?” she whispered.

“What?”

“Well, it might put a smile on your face instead of a frown.”

Her hands moved from her keyboard and I heard at least the sound of her fly going down before she grabbed one of his hands and I soon felt the short hair above her sex. Lowering my hand further, I soon found what she had offered, hearing her gasp when I started to slowly fondle her. Pressing myself against her a little tighter, she tried to feign working but I noticed her fingers weren’t actually moving.

Looking around, no-one was looking in their direction, at least yet. “Shepard,” Kelly whispered.

“I’m going to make you cum right here.”

Leaning back, I moved a hand under her shirt, unclasped her bra one-handed, and I could soon move my other hand up her front and gently caress one of her breasts. She didn’t stand a chance now, turning to kiss me, one hell of a good one as she tried to cover the sounds of her moans and whimpers. Pulling back, she gazed into my eyes and I think we could have started fucking and she wouldn’t have cared. I just watched her face, cheeks slowly getting redder, her mouth parting, her eyes wild with desire, as my hand started to move quicker, stating to tease her clit at the same time.

As I said, she didn’t stand a chance.

“Oh god,” she cried quietly, feeling her shudder against me.

“Told you I was going to make you cum, Miss Chambers.”

She kissed me hard again, her tongue exploring as always, before she pulled back. “I love you,” she breathed.

“I know,” I retorted with a smirk.

She eventually just gave up and relaxed against my body, feeling her move to the movements of my hand. Covering her mouth, she was definitely getting closed, rubbing herself against my erection, my fingers now inside her, finding that special spot she had. I knew where it was, so once I could focus on that, it was game over.

Her orgasm arrived a couple of minutes later, feeling her squeeze my fingers as I brought it home. She covered her mouth to muffle her cries, eventually giving up and just kissing me deeply once again until she finally calmed down. I didn’t move my hands until she seemed to be done, slowly removing my fingers and lifting them up. I was about to suck on my fingers when I had a thought and offered them to her. When she swallowed them and moaned, I nearly just bent her over and went to town.

Turning around, I looked her up and down. Button and fly open, her shirt a mess and clearly her bra wasn’t on now, as her hard nipples poked through. And she looked ready for a lot more.

“Upstairs?” I asked.

“You’d better otherwise I will fuck you right here, Shepard.”

We went upstairs, I was naked within thirty seconds, and my cock was in her mouth five seconds after that, leaning back against the fish tank. To be honest, I lasted all of five minutes before leaving a load in her mouth. I was far too turned on after our shenanigans downstairs. As soon as she swallowed my load, she stood up, finished undressing herself, but we didn’t make the bed, as I picked up her, took her over the couch, then spent at least an hour eating her out. By the time I was done, my jaw ached and she could barely move nor put a sentence together.

Picking her up, I carried her over to the bed and lay her down, then just held her in my arms as she enjoyed a short nap. Waking half an hour later, she turned around and the smile on her face lit up the room, before leaning forward to give me a soft kiss, cuddling into me.

“Are we going downstairs?”

“Nope. Let’s just stay here all day. I think we can mix some lovemaking, some napping, and just some relaxing. It’s two days to the Migrant Fleet at least. Honestly, I’ve got fuck all to do except read endless reports.”

And that’s exactly what we did. Surprisingly, while we did make love at various points, and it was as fantastic as it always was, we spent more time just relaxing together, either cuddling on the couch or bed, chatting about anything except work. It was one of those times on the ship when we could simply be Shepard and Kelly, two ordinary people that didn’t have the prospect of a suicide mission looming over the horizon. If it wasn’t for the fact we were on a warship, I would have called it normality.

I guess, in the back of my mind, was the idea to make the most of such times, as I doubt I’d have them very often once the Reapers arrived.

* * *

Any other time, Tali’Zorah vas Neema nar Rayya would have been delighted to be returning home to the Migrant Fleet. Although she had loved travelling the galaxy with Shepard on the _Normandy_, making friends and lovers along the way, the fleet has always been home. Surrounded by her own people, she had always felt safe.

But this time, she felt almost physically sick as the _Normandy_ passed through the relay and there home sat in the distance, but this time, it was not a happy homecoming. She heard more than one whistle at the sheer size. Fifty thousand ships took up a lot of space. The three liveships were the biggest, of course, while thousands of the ships would have been considered not space worthy by other species. Quarians could make old wrecks worthy of sailing for decades. Sure, it took a lot of tinkering or just brunt force engineering, but quarians were resourceful. They had to be.

She was also not surprised that the fleet immediately sent a welcoming committee. The fleet would monitor any traffic approaching from the nearest relay, most concerned about geth, but considering the fleet were not welcome in most systems, they were always on the defensive.

_“Approaching unidentified vessel. State your intentions regarding the Migrant Fleet. Non-compliance with this request will be seen as a hostile act and you will be fired upon.”_

Shepard looked at her. “You’re up, Tali.”

"This is Tali'Zorah vas Neema nar Rayya requesting permission to dock with the Rayya."

There was silence, no doubt surprise that it was her, and she was on a ship painted in the colours of Cerberus. The hatred for the organisation was high after events in the recent past. “_Our systems has your ship flagged as a Cerberus vessel, Tali’Zorah. Please verify."_

"After time adrift among open stars, along tides of light and through shoals of dust, I will return to where I began."

The reply was almost immediate. “_Permission to approach the Fleet approved. Welcome home, Tali'Zorah."_

"Thank you. We also require a security and quarantine team to meet us. Our ship is not clean."

Gathering new the airlock, only Shepard would be invited to board with her. Although her arrival had been accepted, the fact it was a Cerberus vessel would still cause her problems. Still, most of the others were gathered around, even the likes of Miranda and Jacob, offering their support as Joker brought the ship into dock, feeling the ship shudder as a docking arm was attached. Once Shepard was ready, not requiring a helmet as the air was perfectly breathable, the pair of them stepped onto the docking arm and walked side by side.

Ahead, she saw a welcoming committee, which wasn’t a surprise either. “Home sweet home?” Shepard asked.

“Every other time, I was overjoyed to return to my people, Shepard. This time? I dread to think what lies in store for me.”

“I’ll kick their arses if I need to.”

For some reason, that made her feel better, allowing herself a light laugh before they met with the welcoming committee. Captain Kar’Danna, the CO of the _Rayya,_ had been sent to meet her. She didn’t know if that was good news or not. That’s when she learned two things. One, that Shepard would be representing her at the trial. She knew that was bullshit immediately, not as disrespect to Shepard, but the fact an outsider was having to do it. Two, she learned the charges. Bringing active geth onto the Fleet.

“Okay, I know for a fact that’s bullshit,” Shepard stated, “Tali would never do such a thing.”

Captain Kar’Danna simply shrugged, almost helpless. That’s what he’d been told. She was polite enough to thank him for the information before they walked on. Major ships had an area, almost a small ‘village square’, where people could congregate, as each ship had a real sense of community. It was just on the edge that she met Shala’Raan, who she called ‘Auntie’ being a long time close friend of the family. After introductions, it was only then that she realised what Shala had called her.

“Did you just call me ‘vas Normandy?”

Being an expert in body language, she read the disappointment easily. And a little bit of anger. “I'm afraid I did, Tali. The Admiralty Board moved to have you tried under that name, given your departure from the Neema."

"What's the problem, Tali?" Shepard asked.

"They stripped me of my ship name, Shepard. That's as good as declaring me exiled already." He looked ready to raise a question, then seemed to think better of it, likely understanding it was politics and something he really didn’t want to get involved in. She didn’t blame him considering he was going to be dragged into the spotlight eventually. "This is bullshit," she whispered under her breath.

Entering the plaza, or village green, as there was enough habitat around to draw comments from Shepard, she noticed the crowds gathering to watch her trial, and she also noticed someone special who had made the shuttle ride over. He approached the pair of them.

“Captain Shepard,” he stated, before looking at her, “Ma’am.”

“Captain?” Shepard asked.

“You’re the Commanding Officer, Shepard. According to quarian law, that makes you ‘captain’,” Tali replied, “Are you okay, Kal?”

“I’m fine, ma’am. I’m more concerned about you.”

“Kal, my name is Tali.”

“Official business, ma’am. Can call you all the pet names you want, but only when this is done.” Then Reegar looked at Shepard. “I assume Miss Zorah is being taken care of, Captain?”

“Of course, though this is obviously all bullshit.”

“Yep, this is why I hate politics and glad I spend half my time actually away from the Fleet.”

“Kal, if I’m exiled…”

“Well, let’s not be too hasty, ma’am. I don’t think Shepard will let that happen without a lot of shouting, threatening and swearing. But if that’s the case, then Shepard might have another crew member.”

That answer rocked her. She knew it was semi-serious, and that she hoped for more. But actually leaving with her? “You’re… you’re serious?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied simply, “You go, I go. Simple as that.”

“But… this is your home.”

“Yours too, ma’am. And part of that home involves you.”

She couldn’t help smile behind her mask. He was all armour on the outside but he had a soft heart. “Shit, sounds pretty serious,” Shepard stated.

“Serious enough I’m willing to walk away from the Fleet, Shepard,” Reegar stated.

Before she could add anything, the Admiralty Board walked in, though she was surprised at the fact there was no sign of her father, left believing he would have recused himself as there was no way he could have remained unbiased. But she thought he still would have taken a shuttle over to see his daughter. But, then again, it’s not as if they were particularly close.

Taking a central position on a platform that loomed over everyone else, Raan raised her arms, everyone immediately quietening down. "This conclave is brought to order. Blessed are the ancestors who kept us alive, sustained us and enabled us to reach this season. Keelah se'lai."

"Keelah se'lai," she echoed, the entire crowd uttering the same phrase as one.

"The accused, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, has come with her captain to defend herself against the charge of treason."

"Objection!" yelled the admiral in the middle, raising a hand.

She could hear Raan sigh from where she was standing. "Yes, Admiral Koris?"

"A human has no business at a hearing involving such sensitive military matters."

"Then you should not have declared Tali as crew of the Normandy, Admiral Koris. By right as Tali's captain, Shepard must stay."

“How’s that working out for you now, big guy?” Shepard asked, to the amusement of some in the crowd.

"Objection withdrawn," Koris said quietly.

"Shepard vas Normandy, your crew member Tali'Zorah stands accuse of treason. Will you speak for her?"

Shepard stepped forward and Tali knew, just knew, he was immediately going to go in both barrels. “Oh, you bet your arse I’ll speak for her. Because we have things back on Earth called kangaroo courts. This is nothing but bullshit. No fucking idea why you are choosing to bring charges against her, but clearly someone had an axe to grind here. Quite frankly, I already know this is a fucking sham and a waste of our time, as we should be focusing on the Collectors, not dealing with whatever bullshit this is.”

Having got some of his opinion off his chest, he then happily stepped back. Tali didn’t know whether to laugh or call him a _bosh’tet_ for riling up the Board. It was then that Shepard entered her plea, not guilty of course, before the Board explained the nature of the charges. And that’s when she learned about active geth and the fate of her father, where it appeared he may have been lost with many other quarians aboard the _Alarei_. Tali had taken another couple of knocks within the space of a couple of minutes, even Shepard looking concerned, though she waved him away.

Shepard, being a man of action, immediately offered to take back the _Alarei_. Tali agreed and, to her surprise, the Admiralty Board also agreed. She thought, somewhat bitterly, that if she died during the mission, they’d just sweep the whole affair under the rug. As for Shepard, she figured he wouldn’t mind fighting more geth. Few hated geth more than the quarians, and Shepard _really_ hated the geth.

Storming a ship wasn’t easy, and what they needed were people with tech, or who could fight in small places. So Shepard went with small people, Kasumi, Jack and Miranda, as Jack could cause havoc with her biotics, and Miranda was tech capable. Garrus offered to come along as soon as the mission was offered, as did Jacob and Samara. With her and Shepard as well, they had a large team, but she figured there could be hundreds of geth to take down.

Just before they were ready to take a shuttle to the _Alarei_, Reegar approached her, already armed and she could read his body language. Shepard took one look at him and nodded. “I’m not saying no, Reegar.”

“Just doing my job, Captain.”

She held his hand on the short journey to the ship. Knowing her father was likely dead… She was already regretting the distance in their relationship. She’d always been close to her mother, while her father had doted on her, but once her mother died, he withdrew into himself and his work, and over the years, the distance grew. And she grew resentful.

“Ideas?” Shepard asked, looking at the her and Reegar.

“Do your thing, Shepard. That’s all I can suggest. Ever fought on a ship?”

“Once or twice, but never against geth.”

“Those of us with tech skills will certainly assist.”

Reegar already had his shotgun on his lap, his left hand holding that, his right hand holding her left. Shepard did glance more than once and, when he met her eyes, he simply grinned, almost as if in approval. It caused her to blush, as he was still the only man she’d been intimate with. Reegar had made his attraction known, but… they still hadn’t gone through with it yet. She was already thinking that, before she left, whether exiled or not, she’d give herself to him.

Taking back the ship took longer than any of them expected. There were far more geth than anticipated, and many of the units were of the larger kind, left thinking they must have planning on an attack on part of the Fleet. Those with tech abilities did run riot, however, and Shepard was insane as always, charging around left and right, his shotgun blasting away. It even led to Jack complaining she wasn’t getting a chance to kill her own geth.

When they weren’t shooting, she was investigating just what had been happening, and the more she discovered, the worse it was. Her father was doing some very bad things. But she wasn’t prepared to find his body, and it was obvious that he’d been dead for at least a couple of days, the blood around his body having already dried. She checked his body and omni-tool for information, and his last act was one to protect her. She would have cried but it was proof that, despite the distance, she’d always been his little girl.

But the geth had killed her father, and now she went and sought vengeance. She linked up with Shepard whenever she could, their shotguns blasting away, and when Reegar joined in, the geth wilted under their attacks, with the rest providing assistance. The geth slowed them down, but Shepard led the way, stepping over the parts of geth as they moved forward towards the central chamber. It was there that the geth made their final stand…

And it was there that the geth died. Not a single unit ‘lived’ after that. Tali made sure of it, walking away, blasting geth to pieces. Shepard let her go for a few minutes as he searched the systems for evidence that would exonerate her.

He did, but it was worse than she imagined. Her father had been committing crimes that even she couldn’t believe. Tests on geth were one thing. But what he’d been doing… Even she shuddered at what he’d been doing. It had all been for an advantage, of course, the chance of a return to the homeworld. But if anyone else found out, the quarians would be chased out of the galaxy itself.

She told Shepard that he couldn’t use the evidence about her father. If he did, his name would be ruined, her clan name would be ruined. She would rather be exiled than see her father’s legacy destroyed. Through it all, Reegar remained silent. Typical marine, really. He’d only offer an opinion if asked, and even then, he’d keep it to as few words as possible.

Returning to the _Rayya_, she could only hold her heads in her hands, elbows on her knees, feeling Reegar rub her back. She still couldn’t believe the experiments being done. She hated the geth as much as anyone, but what he’d been doing… it was monstrous. It gave the geth just cause for their continued attacks. There were experiments, of course, but that was simply to understand. What her father had been doing… if it had been an organic, it would have been considered a war crime.

Docking on what had once been the home she grew up, she and Shepard strode forward. She heard comments, and it seemed they were surprised they’d all managed to survive. Sure, there’d been a few wounds taken along the way, but Shepard had managed to keep nearly everyone alive through two missions. Only he and Alenko had paid the ultimate price, and at least he’d managed to return. She still couldn’t believe it sometimes, turning to see him standing there whenever he wanted a chat.

And it was no surprise that the Board were preparing to write her off as dead as well, Raan getting ready to wrap up proceedings when they walked in. Shepard, already pissed off about everything, looked ready to start shooting. Before anyone could say anything, he just said, “The geth are all dead. Go get your fucking ship.”

"Didn't waste a lot of time declaring us dead. You clearly don't know Shepard. Perhaps you wanted to save the embarrassment?" She knew her voice dripped with sarcasm, letting some of her own anger flow.

"We apologise, Captain Shepard. And to you, Tali’Zorah. Your success in taking back the Alarei is simply… unexpected," stated Gerrel.

"But also very welcome," Raan added, "Captain Shepard, did you find anything on the Alarei that could clarify what happened? Have you found any new evidence to submit?"

“Fuck your evidence,” Shepard replied.

“Pardon?” Koris asked, clearly unhappy at the attitude.

“I said fuck your evidence, Admiral. This whole trial is a fucking charade. I know exactly what this is about. There are four of you, because unfortunately her father is dead. Oh, by the way, found him there, noticed you’ve barely given a shit about his condition, nor offered any condolences to Tali in regards to the fact she just lost her fucking father.” They tried to interject, but Shepard held up a hand. “I’m talking, shut the fuck up.”

“You dare…” Koris stated.

“You fucking dare, Admiral. Tali’Zorah has done nothing but work her damned arse off for the Fleet ever since she left on her Pilgrimage. She brought back the best gift you could possibly imagine. She’s been on the front line against geth since she returned. She’s brought back so many advantages in regards to your knowledge of your enemy. She has done nothing but ensure the success of the Migrant Fleet and the continued prosperity of her people. Yet you people want to throw her to the fucking wolves? You should all be fucking ashamed of yourselves. Call yourself the Admiralty Board? I wouldn’t even spit in your general direction.

It’s obvious this trial is political because it’s about geth, and I’ve already got at least three of you picked. Koris, you’re a sympathiser. Gerrel, you want war. And Xen, I think you just want further understanding and maybe a return to how things were. Raan, not sure about you, but you’re neutral anyway.

So, basically, Tali’s future is your hands. But you exile her, you throw away one of the few bright lights of your people. And, to be honest, you throw her away, I’ll gladly take her off your hands. Because it will be a monumentally fucking stupid decision by yourselves, and I’ll make sure Tali is looked after, whether it be on my ship, or by friends I have around the galaxy.”

He eventually stopped talking and took a deep breath. As for her, she was already in tears. No-one had ever spoken so passionately in defence of her. It was obvious how much he still cared for her.

And it worked. The anger. The bluster. The accusations. It worked.

She was not guilty.

She hugged him tightly. She had to. “Thank you,” she sobbed quietly as his arms wrapped around her.

“I wasn’t having an example made of you because of those idiots, Tali. You’re better than they are.”

She didn’t let go of him for a little while, as it was the only way she could think of to thank him. She certainly wasn’t going to abandon the mission. His support for him simple resolved her support for him. Letting him go, she had to hug Reegar as well. He was awkward, of course, but once he hugged her, she rested her head against his chest, and all was right in the world again.

“You want to stay here, Tali? For a little while, at least?”

“Do you mind?”

“No. You should have some time with your boyfriend.”

“Thank you, Shepard,” she said quietly.

“No worries. Just come back to the ship whenever you’re ready.”

Shepard and the rest of his crew wandered off as she looked up at Reegar. She tried to judge his eyes behind the mask but he was an expert at hiding his thoughts. Well trained. But she felt the strength in his arms as he held her, and the desire that she already felt for him had only heightened. She’d also felt a renewed desire for Shepard at the same time, but she’d made her choice while he was gone. And she was happy with Reegar.

“Can we get a private room?”

He couldn’t hide his thoughts then, watching his eyes behind the mask. “We’ll need to take…”

“Kal, we have done it before.”

“I know but it’s still rather new to me, Tali.”

But, still, he grabbed her hand and led her away from the crowds. Grabbing what they needed, they soon found a small room they could use. There was a bed for a couple, a small bathroom, and that was it. Most people had less privacy, but being a squad commander had some small perks. They’d already been through the decontamination process boarding the _Rayya_ again, but exposure without the suit always carried risk for quarians.

They both flooded their bodies with everything they needed before there was the ritual of removing their masks. Only two non-quarians had ever seen her face. Ashley and Shepard. Only her parents and her doctor had seen her face on the Fleet.

Reegar removed his first and she’d thought immediately that he was rather handsome. Pale, of course. All quarians were what Shepard had called ‘deathly’ pale. Same skin colour as hers. Most quarians were vaguely pinkish purple. Bright eyes though the iris in the middle was visible. As he removed the suit covering his head, it was clear that he’d at least removed it before as his hair was short. He had a defined nose, slightly thin lips, but a prominent chin. Pure masculine.

Then came her moment, feeling a bundle of nerves as she slowly removed it before also taking the top of the suit off. This was perhaps only the third or fourth time they’d had the chance. When she finally looked up and met his eyes for the first time without the mask, his face lit up with a large grin. Their first kiss was always a little awkward, as he knew the theory but didn’t get a lot of practice, but it didn’t take long until he had the basics down, at least.

Next came removing their suits, which was a long process. After a few minutes, they were both naked. Again, very pale, no body hair, faint lines across their body as quarians were given various operations to keep them healthy. Both had scars galore from fights against geth and other enemies. He was muscular, not to the same degree as Shepard, but he had definition.

And he was rock hard, and generous in that department as well. His eyes were on stalks as he looked her up and down, noticing his cock throb more than once. She knew he wasn’t going to last long at all.

“Wow,” he finally said.

“I said the same thing first time, Kal. I knew you were strong.”

She stepped into his arms and that first kiss was so much better, feeling his skin against hers for the first time. Many quarians simply linked suits, but she’d always desired the feel of someone else. Though she preferred men, she’d had one or two female friends she would have happily fooled around with, if they’d been interested in return.

But once Kal’Reegar showed his interest in her, she was hooked. Sitting him down on the bed, he was slightly curious as she got down on her knees between his legs. Again, he might know the theory, but this was definitely going to happen. Running her tongue along his shaft, the moan he made suggested he wouldn’t long at all. But she wanted to give him a blowjob. A cock like his deserved such attention.

“Now, Kal, one thing. I have done this before, but I couldn’t swallow before. With you, I can. So, when you cum, just cum in my mouth.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, Kal. I love you.” That made him look down at her, wide-eyed. She simply looked up at him and smiled. “I wanted to wait until I could see your face.”

She’d never actually seen him smile, of course. When he did, her heart fluttered and she felt herself get a little excited. He was gorgeous when he smiled. “I love you too, ma’am.”

That made her laugh as she leaned up to kiss him again. “Good to hear, soldier. Now, I’m going to suck your cock. If you don’t last long, it doesn’t matter. Because you can eat my pussy next.”

“I’m still not sure…”

“You’ll learn, and I can be a little bossy.”

“You know, I’m kind of glad you have experience, otherwise this would be very awkward. I’ll thank Shepard afterwards.”

That made her laugh again, giving him a final kiss, before she got back down on her knees and simply swallowed his cock. She wasted no time bobbing her head up and down. All he could do was collapse back on the bed, groaning loudly, and she knew it definitely wasn’t going to last long. “Tali,” he groaned.

He lifted his head, at least, watching her head bounce up and down. She definitely liked the taste of his cock and wanted to taste his cum. He lasted a couple of minutes, not that she minded, knowing he was about to cum when she felt him throb, and she eagerly swallowed down his cum, finally getting the chance to do it, having seen Ashley blow Shepard and eagerly swallow down his load when they’d enjoyed threesomes together.

“Fucking hell,” Reegar groaned as he relaxed back. She continued to suck him until he started to soften, allowing his cock to fall from her mouth before she kissed up his body before she was lying over him. “Hope I last longer next time.”

She kissed him again before she moved over to the pillows, laying down on her back and spreading her legs. He immediately got between them and she let him simply look and touch, as he was still completely inexperienced. Just his touch sent shivers up her spine, eventually feeling one of his fingers slide inside her. “Kal,” she whispered.

“Just tell me what to do. I don’t mind.”

She couldn’t help smile at how understanding he was, and over the next half an hour, she gave him plenty of guidance, particularly when it came to using his mouth on her. But he was a quick learner, eager to find her g-spot, and he seemed to really enjoy just eating her out, complimenting that she tasted really good, which simply made her blush quite brightly, as he chuckled when she did.

When he made her cum, and he made her cum _hard_, she burst into tears. That surprised him for a moment before he moved up to hug her. “Big moment,” she finally murmured.

“Glad I could make you orgasm,” he whispered, which made her giggle, “Maybe next time I could do it without all the instruction.”

“If you want to spend time between my legs, Kal, I’m not going to complain.”

She lifted her face to look at him, feeling his soft fingers stroke her face. That alone made her bottom lip tremble, just being able to feel him touch her. Leaning down to kiss her, it was soft at first before it slowly grew more passionate and intense, moulding her body into him, feeling his cock bump into her as she eventually ended up on her back. For this, he didn’t need instruction, he knew what to do, it seems.

Feeling him poke her a few times, he eventually gained his bearings, both of them groaning as he ever so slowly slid his cock inside her. “Bury it completely,” she whispered, and that’s exactly what he did. When he was, she looked down and couldn’t help grin. “I’ve been waiting to see that.”

“I… Tali, it feels… wonderful.”

“It’s a little addictive.”

“So… how long will you be gone?”

She couldn’t help laugh, kissing him again before he again just figured out what to do as she got comfortable, urging him on. He was never going to last long during his first time, though he lasted longer than she imagined. And he had a nice thick cock, forcing more than a few loud moans from her as he buried himself again and again. But she knew he was getting close as he started to go a little faster, though it grew more erratic. Wrapping her arms around him, she wrapped her legs loosely at his hips, adjusting her body, groaning loudly as the angle changed. “Fuck yes,” she moaned.

“Tali,” he whispered.

“Cum in me, Kal. I want to feel all of you.”

She told him to do that and it’s exactly what happened, the groan he released more than likely heard around the entire ship. Feeling him bury his cock inside her again and again, he finally stopped and practically collapsed on top of her, wrapping her legs tighter as she heard him breathing deeply, giving her cheek a kiss as he was clearly out of it for a couple of minutes.

He eventually lifted himself up and met her eyes. “I’ll last longer next time… hopefully…”

“Kal, we’ve just been intimate for maybe the third time in all the time we’ve been together. I don’t care how long it lasted. What mattered was that we are like this. _You_ are inside me. So many quarians don’t do this and I can’t understand why.”

“Wish we’d done this ages ago now!”

“Worth the wait?”

“Absolutely. Um… I might need a few minutes though…”

He pulled out and lay beside her, immediately rolling onto her side and cuddling into him. “I can think of a way to help in a few minutes. Just relax for now, Kal. We have all night.”

They eventually made love twice more, Kal loving it when she rode him, and she managed to cum while doing so, which delighted both of them. Then she got on her hands and knees, giving him the pleasure of fucking her from behind. He definitely loved that, as she knew she had a great arse, and she giggled when she suggested he spank her. When he did, she reacted positively, so he did it a few more times.

It made her wetter and helped make her cum again. When Kal came for the fourth time, that was it for him. He was absolutely spent, so they cleaned up and lay together in bed afterwards.

“At least you’re not exiled,” he said as she wrapped an arm over his chest, resting her head on his shoulder, feeling his arm around her.

“Could never thank Shepard enough for that.”

“Can I asked a question?” She nodded. “Has he ever asked about being intimate with you again?”

“Not at all because I made it clear I was with you.”

“Okay. I trust the man. I trust you. But I know you share a history.”

“Shepard doesn’t sleep with women who are in relationships. He makes it clear he has a few rules. And any woman who chooses to be with him goes into it with eyes open. He isn’t monogamous.”

“Well, at least he’s honest. I don’t really understand it. I thought humans were that word, monogamous.”

“They are if in serious relationships, but some like to enjoy numerous partners. He’ll settle down eventually, though I have no idea who with. I think maybe Kelly. He’s absolutely smitten with her, well, in love, but she is head over heels for him. And there is much more to their relationship than just sex.” She paused, then thought of others. “Though… maybe Gianna. She was the first one he fell in love with, but being apart so often makes it difficult. Or he could choose an asari because Shiala is devoted to him.”

Reegar laughed. “So the man has choice.”

“I think he’ll settle down once the threat is over.”

Waking the next morning, they had to get back in their suits and it was awful. She’d been out of it plenty of times before, but having just been intimate with the man she now loved, she just wanted to be with him again and again. They hugged and kissed a final time before they were sealed again, taking her by the hand and leading her back towards the _Normandy_. At the airlock, they embraced a final time, holding each other until she finally let him go.

“Be safe, ma’am.”

She couldn’t help chuckle as he was doing it on purpose. “Shepard will keep me safe, Kal.”

“I know he will. Will you come home straight afterwards?”

“Definitely. I owe Shepard but, once the Collectors are defeated, I’m returning to you.”

“Something to look forward to then. Keep in contact, Tali. Let me know you’re safe.”

“I will.”

“I love you.”

“I already love hearing that from you, Kal.”

“I know.”

“Well, I love you too.”

They hugged briefly before she walked through the airlock, turning and waving before the door closed. Walking back onto the ship, Shepard was at his place by the galaxy map, looking up from his screen and grinning. “Ready to go, Tali?”

“I am, Shepard. I’ll be down in engineering if you need me.”

“Have fun?”

“The best.” She stopped to give him a quick hug. “But I’m now completely focused on the mission again. Let’s go kick Collector arse.”

“That’s the plan, Tali. And you’ll definitely see the Fleet again.”

“I know, Shepard. I have a feeling we’ll all be coming home in the end.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Heading down to engineering, she settled into getting the engines fired, ready to depart. And, of course, she just had to listen into Ken and his comments about… everything. Poor Gabby, she did wonder how he tolerated him at times.

But at least she wasn’t an exile. At heart, she’d never be able to thank Shepard enough.


	44. Daughter

We were on our way to collect the Reaper IFF was an ancient Reaper, that had apparently been disabled and destroyed millions of years ago. After the debacle with the Collector ship, I wasn’t exactly willing to trust the Illusive Man not to send us into another trap, considering he told us that contact had been lost with the research team that he’d sent there before us. I knew immediately that the Reaper probably wasn’t dead and that they’d been indoctrinated. Two plus two equals four.

Considering our position, it was a two to three-day journey there, so I held a meeting with the entire team, and I was honest with them. We were heading to a Reaper. The science team had gone silent, and I suggested indoctrination or they were dead. We would be parking up, heading in fast and getting out even quicker. No hanging around, no researching, we get the IFF and get the fuck out.

And I was taking everyone, as I simply didn’t trust going onto a Reaper, nor did I particularly trust the Illusive Man. But we needed an IFF and this was likely the best and only one to get one. The last warning I gave was that, if anyone had something they needed doing, they come to me immediately or at least before we reach the Reaper. After that, I was going to have it installed, we’d head to Illium for a last chance relax, and then we’d head for the Omega Four.

Once the meeting was finished, I did my usual round of making sure everyone was okay with everything. Jacob was definitely in the right frame of mind, eager to finally take the fight to the Collectors. Mordin was hoping to do some more research regarding the Collectors. I’d sent what we learned about them to Liara, and she was appalled to know they’d once been Protheans. Miranda was… Well, every time I walked in her office now, she’d greet me with a hug. We were definitely a lot closer now. Kasumi would always want a cuddle, and she’d added a nice kiss to her greeting nowadays. Grunt just wanted to kill things. Zaeed admitted he was looking for it being all over. Tali was as committed as ever…

Then there was Jack. She was usually the last one I visited, simply because she was at the bottom of the ship. We hadn’t had sex in a long time now, the last time being that night which Kelly had organised where I’d ended up enjoying sex with a number of women in one night. That afternoon, she was sat on the edge of her bed, as she’d got rid of the cot, wanting to live in a modicum of comfort. Each day, she was getting better with her issues. I didn’t ask her as many questions as before as she spoke enough to Chakwas and other people. I think the concoction of drugs she was on also help. Not bad drugs, the good sort that helped her and, one day, she might be able to get off them and live as normal a life as possible. That was the hope.

Sitting down next to her, she immediately leaned into me, so I wrapped an arm around her. At moments like that, the size difference between us was staggering. She was sometimes so small, and when she was nervous, she seemed even smaller. “Nervous?” I asked quietly.

“Terrified. I don’t trust them, Shepard. You know it’s a trap, right? Another one?”

“That’s why I said we all go, we take the IFF, and we get the fuck out. More importantly, no-one gets left behind.”

“Not like you to admit fear.”

“It’s one of the things I’ve been told will help. Embrace my emotions and have no fear in admitting how I really feel. I can’t just be all about hate and anger. Plus...” She looked up and grinned. “You were right about me, in a way. Underneath it all was a scared little girl.”

“Yeah, but I was also being a bastard at the time.”

“True, but I was also pushing your buttons. I guess we were both bastards. But you pushed me in the right direction.” She paused a moment. “I’ve been thinking about what I’d like to do after this.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m feeling better, Shepard. Not perfect, I’ll never be that, but I think I’m slowly getting there. And what I want to do is help kids like me. Talented biotics who need some sort of role model.”

“Sounds like you’re learning words such as empathy.”

“I’m not the only one who has had a shit life, Shepard. Plenty of kids out there have had it rough. I’m not special, I just had it particularly bad.”

“You’ve come through it better than I think anyone could have expected, Jack.”

She looked up at me again. “Thanks to you, Shepard.”

“I helped a little bit. You’ve done most of the work, Jack. The difference in you from when we first met.”

“There is one thing I really want though, Shepard.”

“Name it.”

“Can you… give me a really good fuck?”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m in a good place, Shepard. And I’ve asked Chakwas, and she said I can now approach sex in a better way. There are two reasons why I’m asking. One, it’s you. I like you, Shepard. Two, I want it hard and rough, but it’s what I want.”

“Okay, so what do you want me to do?”

She stood up and quickly undressed herself. So fast, I blinked in surprise, which made her giggle. She never giggled, at least before, though I’m sure my face was priceless. Yet, once she was naked, she turned… a little shy. It was actually rather cute before she put a knee to either side of me, sitting on my lap. Jack when we met would have just slammed her mouth into mine. The Jack currently on sitting me moved towards me slowly, the first kiss tentative, before it quickly deepened, but she didn’t just jam her tongue into my mouth, she did it… well, the word I can think of is sensual.

Running my hands up and down her back, I found scars, whether they were medical or old wounds. I traced my fingers along them, and it made her smile as she kissed me. Pulling her tight to my body made her squeal as I rolled her back onto the bed. Breaking apart, she simply gazed at me with those big brown eyes of hers. When we met, they’d been filled with nothing but hate and anger. Now, there was curiosity, definitely intelligence, and even understanding.

And a lot of desire.

“Shepard?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah?”

“Can you make me cum first?”

“Ah, would you like my face between your legs?” That made her crack up laughing. Must have been how I asked. “Well, I think that’s a good way to start, Jack.” I leaned down to hear. “Then I’m going to fuck you so hard, you’ll pass out. I will stop, of course.” I felt her arms and legs wrap around me, simply giving me a hug before she released me.

I showed her body plenty of attention, and I think it was the first time anyone had ever done it. She’d fucked plenty of times. Been raped far too many, to be honest. How she was even close to being ‘normal’ was a testament to her strength of mind. But she loved it when I trailed my mouth up and down her body. Her skin was surprisingly soft. I kissed every scar I found, hearing an occasional shudder of breath. I knew just doing that was a big thing for her. I thought her body art was beautiful, despite some of the meanings behind them.

When I finally made it down to between her legs, she was completely and utterly turned on, almost desperate for me to get started. So I continued to tease her, kissing up and down her legs, back up her body, finding all those little erogenous zones. Her breasts were bigger than you realised when they were strapped down, nipples hard enough to cut glass. She gasped when I took one in my teeth before she giggled again.

“Shepard, please,” she whimpered.

“What?”

“I’m going to cum within two minutes when you finally start.”

“Well, you’ll just have to have multiple orgasms then.”

When I finally moved my mouth down to her sex, running my tongue along her incredibly wet slit, I think she even had to withhold a little sob. Getting comfortable myself, wrapping a hand around each thigh, I took my time running my tongue around her sex, continuing to just tease her, feeling her body move as I finally buried my tongue, while immediately focusing on her clit at the same time.

She wasn’t lying. Two minutes, if she was lucky. She cried out loudly. I’m sure they heard us upstairs, figuring Tali would be blushing behind her mask at the noise. Jack didn’t as me to stop, so I kept on going, both hands balling the sheet as her back arched, crying out again and again. She wasn’t holding anything back now, allowing herself to enjoy it completely.

“Fuck, Shepard,” she moaned.

Upping the pleasure further, I removed my right hand from her thigh, licked two fingers, and slid them inside her, finding her spot. With my tongue now completely focusing on her clit, her second orgasm hit hard, feeling her squeeze my fingers, her back arch at an almost impossible angle, crying out even louder so they probably heard us in the CIC. She rode through that one, looking down to meet my eyes. She nodded, so I guess that meant keep going.

When I made her cum a third time, that’s when she had to cry enough. She was exhausted already, removing my fingers, sucking those clean, as I kissed up her sweat soaked body, watching her chest rise and fall quickly as she sucked in deep breaths. She dragged me down to kiss her before she needed to break apart, using the back of her hand to wipe her cheeks. “Fuck,” she whispered.

“Good?”

“Good?” That made her burst into laughter. “Good? Fucking hell, Shepard… no-one has ever done that for me before. All guys ever wanted to do was…” She trailed off as I lay down beside her, Jack rolling into me. “Hang on, you’re still dressed. You just ate me out while you were dressed!”

“Well, it was about you, Jack.”

“You’re going to fuck me, right?”

“Just giving you a few minutes to recover.”

“Oh…” So she snuggled into my chest as I held her tightly to my body. She relaxed immediately. “Shepard?”

“Yeah?”

“I want to be one of your girls.”

“I know, Jack. I’ve known for a long time. But… you need to focus on you first. And I think you need someone better than me. Someone who will be there for you only.”

“What if I can handle it?”

“Then we’ll see. I don’t want to make any promises. I liked the old you. I prefer the new you. But I want to make sure you can handle it. Right now, we can enjoy it as a one-time thing, but I know you will want more.” I paused before I laid a gentle kiss on her forehead. “And so do I.”

“Really?”

“Jack, you’ve still got a wild side which I think we can both enjoy.”

We made out immediately, her hands going straight for the button and fly of my jeans while I kicked off my boots and socks. Once my cock was free, her hand was immediately wrapped around it, gently stroking me, not that I needed help getting hard, but I think she just wanted to feel it again.

Having told me what she wanted, I eventually pulled away as she immediately going onto her knees, lowering her head to the pillow. I stripped off and kneeled behind her, leaning forward to I could breathe into her ear. “I’m going to fuck you senseless,” I whispered.

“I can’t wait.”

I grabbed both of her wrists first, holding them together with one hand as I slid my cock inside her, not as gently as I might have done. All she did was look back and smile. A genuine smile. She wanted this and I was doing it for her.

I’ll admit, I didn’t last too long that first time. All that attention I’d given her had turned me on, and I did love a good, hard fuck as much as she did. I wasted no time pounding her, and she loved it, urging me on to give it to her harder and faster immediately. I was sweating within a couple of minutes, though finally let go of her wrists so I could crouch forward, mouth near her ear again. “Ready for it?”

“Fuck yes,” she moaned quietly.

I gave it to her harder, really driving my cock into her. She kept her eyes focused on mine, and unlike before, when the returned look had been empty, her eyes now were full of life, expressing everything she was feeling. And she was… happy. I was doing what she wanted, giving her what she wanted. She’d adapted to liking the tender stuff, but let’s be honest, who doesn’t mind a good, hard fuck every so often? When a woman grabs the back of my head and says ‘Fuck me, Shepard’ or ‘Destroy my pussy’, I practically growl, rip their clothes off, then do what they want.

When I did cum inside her, the smile only broadened as I needed to relax, Jack lowering her body, taking me with her, resting on my forearms so I didn’t squash her. Kissing her cheek, she happily relaxed with my cock still buried inside her. I might have cum but I’d almost trained myself to remain relatively hard. I still needed time to recover, though.

Pulling back and out, she flipped onto her back and pulled me forward inside her again, arms around the back of my neck as she kissed me, an intense one that only made me harder, and the hard fuck quickly resumed. Jack just spread her legs nice and wide, feeling her adjust herself as I seemed to bury myself even further.

“Oh, fuck,” she groaned.

“Okay?”

The question made her laugh. “Shepard, I’ve been wanting this again for weeks.” She paused and her demeanour immediately changed. “Thanks,” she said quietly.

I kissed her again, arms tightly around the back of my neck, as I simply resumed pounding her. And… again, she loved every minute of it. Knowing I was going to last a while, I eventually grabbed her by the hips and easily spun unto my back. The smile on her face only broadened as she leaned forward, resting her hands on my chest, and she rode herself to an orgasm quicker than I expected. And it was big. Enough that her entire body seemed to shudder before she needed to stop, watching her lower lip tremble again, so I gently pulled her down onto me. “Sorry,” she whispered.

“You’re allowing yourself to feel, Jack. And there is nothing wrong with a little cry every now and then.”

“It just feels so good. As I said, first man who’s given a shit about me.”

Running my fingers up and down her back, she relaxed again for a couple of minutes before she lifted herself up just enough, meeting my eyes, and I could read what she wanted. I couldn’t help smirk as I ran my hands down to her arse, adjusting my legs and her face smouldered with desire. “Do it,” she breathed.

Ten minutes later, we were both done. I had nothing left while Jack was just exhausted, resting on my chest again as I tried not to fall straight to sleep. Feeling her cuddle into me again, I held her tight, giving her a soft kiss, as we lay in contented silence for quite a long time. “Want to come upstairs to sleep tonight?” I finally asked.

“What?”

“Come upstairs. Kelly doesn’t mind the occasional visitor. And she definitely won’t mind you coming upstairs.”

“You’re serious?” she asked, leaning up to meet my eyes.

“I don’t joke about such things, Jack. That’s just mean.”

Her face lit up again. “I’d love it.”

“After dinner, you can join Kelly and I then. And not for sex. We’ll just enjoy a relaxing night. Maybe watch a move, enjoy a few drinks, chat about whatever you want.”

She sighed. “God, I was such a bitch…”

“Jack, I treated you like shit when you got on board because I simply didn’t know.”

She looked away. “I deserved it.”

I lifted her chin so she met my eyes. “No, you didn’t, Jack. I was pissed off about my own stuff and took it out on you, because you pushed my buttons. We were both wrong.”

Checking the time a little later, we agreed to dress and head up to the mess for dinner, Kelly joining us at a table and I whispered to her my idea. She loved it, of course, and once everyone else disappeared, we both took Jack by the hand and led her upstairs. Sitting by the couch, I lowered the screen that we could watch some vids, and I grabbed a couple of bottles of spirit that we might enjoy. But, in the end, we spent most of the night talking, and Jack held nothing back. It was enough to make Kelly cry more than once, while even I needed to wipe my eyes at the unfiltered truth that was her life. The one thing, though, is that it proved her undoubted personal strength. She’d come through it, not without innumerable scars, but she was alive, still standing, still fighting.

She was probably the strongest person on the ship.

We did end up having a threesome though, Kelly and I completely focusing on Jack. We both took turns eating her out before we found numerous different positions that all three of us could enjoy. Jack loved being in the middle so she could pleasure Kelly at the same time, though enjoyed Kelly eating her out while I fucked her. No idea how many times we made Jack cum but, by the time we were finished, I had to carry her to the shower to clean us up before she moulded herself into my body once back on the bed, Kelly lying close to her on the other side. She simply gazed at me with a constant grin.

Heading downstairs for breakfast the next morning, flanked by Jack and Kelly, there was a moment of silence as people weren’t stupid and could easily figure it out, particularly as Kelly was always affectionate, but the change in Jack was obvious as she happily giggled away as I made some rather poor jokes about breakfast. Sitting down at a table, Kelly sat next to me, Jack and Kasumi across, Garrus relegated to another table. He just glanced my way and shook his head. “What?” I asked innocently.

“No wonder you have a constant grin on your face, Shepard.”

“Look, bird brain, for the first time in my life, I’m genuinely happy.”

“Whoa! Easy, Jack. Not having a go at you. Just him.”

“Well, okay then, but back off regardless.” There was a threat there, but you could also hear other emotions. I just leaned across and took her hand, earning a grateful smile in return.

I had a feeling she was now one of my girls regardless what I thought or said. She wasn’t going to take no for an answer. And part of me didn’t really mind that at all.

* * *

Time was now of the essence, or so Samara thought. The asari she was chasing had covered her tracks well. She had found the ship name on Illium thanks to the assistance of Shepard. But after that, the ship had simply disappeared, as if erased from history. It had taken a lot of work on board the ship, using contacts she had not used in decades, if not centuries, in an effort to find it. Her target could have gone anywhere in her thirst for victims. She had fed on Illium, so had sated her appetites, but she was sure that the killing had resumed in the time since she’d last tasted her scent.

But she’d had a breakthrough. An old friend has sent her a simple message, stating the name of the ship and where it had last docked. Omega. It made sense, in many ways. There was next to no law on the asteroid. Aria T’Loak ran her little empire, but apart from that, mercenary gangs ran the station, and they cared little about the civilian population, as long as they paid their bribes.

She was busy meditating, going over every single permutation of what would happen when she finally came face to face with the target she had spent decades chasing. She had been close more than once, but each time she was ready to make the final move, she disappeared, as if she could smell how close she was. More often than not, her target left one final victim as a calling card, as if to mock her.

“Shepard,” she stated. She’d heard the door open, of course, but she could tell who it was just by the footsteps. Shepard didn’t do subtle in regards to his life in any way possible. It many ways, she found it amusing. Human life was short, and it appeared Shepard was ensuring he lived it to the fullest in more ways than one.

She waited for him to sit down on the lounge behind her. “EDI said you want to talk.”

“Yes, Shepard,” she said, ceasing the biotic aura that had existed, turning around to face Shepard. “Remember the asari I was chasing on Illium? The information you gathered for me?”

“Yes. Have you had a breakthrough?”

“I have, Shepard. But, first, I must confess something about the asari I am chasing.” She stood up and moved to sit next to him. He turned towards her, opening his body language as always. He was a very good listener and had proven inquisitive in regards to the life she had led, the vows she had made. But he had also been respectful of her decisions. She took a deep breath and met his eyes. “The asari I chase is my daughter, Shepard. Her name is Morinth. She is incredibly dangerous, having been on the run for decades now. She is what we call an Ardat-Yakshi.”

“A what-what?”

“Demon of the Night Winds, at least in an old asari dialect. It is a rare genetic condition among our people. We are speaking of less than one percent. It is a condition which affects our nervous system, and it is particularly prevalent when it comes to melding. Putting it simply, the Ardat-Yakshi overwhelms the person they are melding with, leaving them as nothing more than a husk before they die.”

“Like… domination then?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes. After each encounter, an Ardat-Yakshi become smarter, stronger and deadlier. My daughter, Morinth, is perhaps the strongest Ardat-Yakshi to have lived.”

“Okay, sounds like we need to nip this in the bud now. Where are we going?”

“Omega?”

He no doubt withheld a groan. “Okay, no problem. We can head there immediately, take care of this, then go to the Reaper IFF.”

“I apologise for affecting…”

He dismissed her apology with a polite wave. “I told everyone that if they needed anything done to let me know before we collected the IFF. So I can’t complain. We’re still over a day away. I can easily divert the ship to Omega.”

“You have my thanks, Shepard. While we on route, I will think of the best way to approach the situation. No doubt my daughter will have made herself a base in which she would lure her victims. I am afraid she might have already killed.”

“Then we make sure we end her reign of terror.”

“She will be unlike any enemy you have fought before, Shepard.”

“Been told that before. I’m still here.” He paused before smirking, “Well, version two of Shepard is here. Held together by science and cybernetics. Human enough, I guess.” He paused again. “When we get to Omega, we’d best speak to Aria T’Loak. Very little happens there without her knowing about it.”

“I will follow your lead, Shepard.” He was about to get up when he asked, “Shepard, may I ask a question?”

“Sure. What’s on your mind?”

“How do you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Your women. It is obvious the affection you share with Kelly. She is head over heels in love with you. Yet you also share yourself with others. I understand Kelly does not mind, even participates with other lovers that you have, but I was of the thought that humans were generally monogamous creatures.”

“It’s a long story, Samara. I’ll put it quite simply, maybe even bluntly. The woman I truly loved was taken from me, and she might never be replaced. I’m also young, and wish to enjoy myself. Having come back from death, I _definitely_ wish to enjoy myself. And considering what might lay on the horizon for all of us, as I don’t believe the Reaper threat has disappeared one little bit, then I might as well continue until the day I’m either dead, or I decide it’s time to finally settle down.”

That answered her question. “Thank you for your honesty, Shepard. I was expecting a deflection.”

“I am just as honest with my lovers, Samara. Each woman I am intimate is told beforehand of the life I lead. Therefore, I cannot be criticised of anything after the fact.”

Arriving on Omega, only Shepard accompanied her to Afterlife. She had been told that Shepard had been sweet on one of the asari dancers in the club, but glancing his way every so often, it was clear his mind was only on the task at hand, guessing his idea was that they would complete what they were doing and then leave. She knew he planned to visit Illium before their departure to the Omega Four, so guessed there was no relaxing just yet.

Having rarely travelled outside asari space, it was the first time she had ever visited Omega. If the space station had been inside asari space, she knew she would never have been desperate for work. On the surface, things were bad enough. But life must have been awful for the majority of people. Approaching the entrance of Afterlife, the bodyguards seemed to recognise Shepard, allowing him through immediately.

“Regular customer?” she asked.

“Not recently. During my first visit, I may have taken advantage of one or two things on offer.”

“Ah, pretty asari dancers, Shepard?”

“Oh, most certainly, Samara. You are incredibly flexible at only around one hundred and fifty odd years old.”

Despite the seriousness of the situation, she couldn’t help chuckle though she noticed his eyes continued to scan their surroundings. Both were armoured and armed, Shepard aware that they could still end up in a firefight between the ship and the club. Shepard led the way towards the elevated floor upon which Aria relaxed, taking note of the bank of screens, a couple showing scenes from within the club, though most focused on various areas of Omega. There were also a couple of others showing what appeared to be financial transactions. Aria T’Loak may have been the ‘Pirate Queen’ of Omega, but she also needed a lot of money to fund her private army.

Offering a seat, Shepard sat down by she chose to remain standing. “Interesting company you keep,” Aria stated, the words aimed at Shepard, but the eyes glaring at her, “Tell me why you have an asari Justicar in your company, and why she’s on Omega and in my fucking club.” The words then changed to her. “Your code means nothing here, Justicar. You’re outside your comfort zone, and you’re in my home. I’m not even going to warn you what happens should you choose to raise a weapon in my direction.”

"We are tracking at Ardat-Yakshi. We obtained information that suggested she had made her way to Omega. We were hoping you may have tracked her since her arrival,” Shepard explained.

"I'm aware," Aria stated with a shrug.

"Have you done anything about her?"

An almost sarcastic smirk appeared. "Why would I? She hasn't done anything to me. So she isn't my problem."

"Have there been any victims that could possibly lead us to her?" Samara asked. Get this over quickly and the tension will disappear.

Aria looked away again, and almost looked, well she wouldn't say sad but almost… disappointed. She returned her gaze towards them once again. "Her last victim was a girl. Human girl. I know her mother still lives in one of the apartments not far from here. I can only suggest you go start by talking to her."

"Got a name?"

"Surname is Jones. That’s all I know."

Shepard stood up. "Thanks, Aria."

"Despite my indifferent attitude, Justicar, an Ardat-Yakshi is bad news on Omega. A plague was bad enough, as was Archangel. An Ardat-Yakshi… that won't end well for anyone. I will at least hope you think I'm sincere in saying good luck catching her." She paused a beat. "Not that I actually care if you believe me or not."

Samara made do with a small nod of the head before she walked away, Shepard following in her footsteps, hearing him take a deep breath. He no doubt had felt the tension between the two asari and no doubt didn’t want to get into a fight just before heading for the Omega Four.

“We should bring in a detective,” he suggested upon exiting the club, “Garrus.”

“If you believe that is the best choice.”

“He’ll know how to question the family and know what evidence to look for when it comes to tracking, in addition to all your experience, of course. On this, I’ll take a back seat and help out where you need me.”

Calling in his turian friend, he joined the pair within five minutes, perhaps itching to take time off the ship and also help track down a dangerous criminal. Once Shepard explained the basics, the three headed off to find the apartment. It was surprisingly close to Afterlife, down a side street, and it was obvious to her eyes that most people lived in some sort of poverty. No-one came to Omega in the hope of fame and fortune. Most ended up there as they had nowhere else to go.

The women who opened the door to them was clearly in the middle of grief, though once Shepard explained who they were and that they were there to investigate, the three were invited in quickly, offering a drink and something to eat in the midst of her tears. Garrus was already in detective mode, but watching him with a victim was a new side to his character, or so Samara though. Softly-spoken, comforting, and an edge to his tone that he now took it personally. Once he had the information the trio needed, he checked the daughters room as Shepard took over, asking questions about her daughter, simply so she could think of the positives instead of the negatives. Samara could only stand back and be impressed by both men and how their characters completely changed when dealing with a distraught and grief-stricken mother.

Once outside, Shepard and Garrus seemed to share a glance. “Oh, she dies, Shepard,” Garrus said, “I’ve seen far too much of that shit over the years. People are under the impression the Citadel is a beacon of safety. It isn’t. Hang out on some of the Wards for a few days, watch the shit C-Sec deal with on a daily basis. Murder rate isn’t as high as here, but there are still plenty of victims.” Garrus then looked at her. “Brain haemorrhage. Is that what normally happens?”

She nodded. “Yes. To a doctor not used to dealing with what an Ardat-Yakshi is capable of, the cause would look perfectly natural. But the fact Morinth is operating here is a concern. I believe the young woman would not be her only victim, perhaps just her latest one.”

“I also found this,” Garrus stated, “I wasn’t sure if you’d want to hear it.”

“Is it evidence?” Garrus nodded. “Then I need to hear it, Garrus. Play it.”

_"Morinth is a girl like me, and she's definitely not human. When we dance, and the Hallex is flowing through me… The way she looks at me… with a hunger, a longing… No-one's ever looked at me like that. We kissed tonight."_

“My daughter is seductive. Someone like her would fall for her quickly. Morinth would appeal to her base desires. Are there others, Garrus?”

He nodded, pressing his omni-tool again. "_She's taking me to her apartment tonight. Whatever happens, I want to be with her forever. She can sell my pieces and we can live together somewhere glamorous, like those women in Vaenia. How did this ever happen to me? I'm just dumb trash from Omega."_

She heard Shepard sigh. Garrus often wore his heart on his sleeve, and it was clear to see he was a mixture of pissed off and heartbroken. "Nef is exactly like someone Morinth would be interested in. She had always pursued people with that creative spark. Someone slightly aloof. Isolated. They are perfect targets,” she explained.

"What about Morinth herself? What makes her so attractive to those she hunts?" Shepard asked.

"She impresses them, particularly girls such as Nef, with an air of sophistication and sex appeal. Nef would have been overawed, to find herself the centre of someone else's undivided attention. Then… she strikes. For Morinth, the hunt interests her just as much as the conquest."

The trio returned to the ship, where she thanked Garrus for the assist, but for what she had planned, she would only need to the assistance of Shepard. Once they were alone, she explained her idea. Shepard was to be the bait to lure her in. Then, once she thought she had him, Samara would strike. It wasn’t surprising Shepard was fine with the idea. She had expected one or two arguments, but as she explained everything, he shrugged and said, “Okay, let’s get this sort. Sooner we deal with Morinth, sooner we can end all our problems.”

“She won’t prowl Afterlife, not with Aria T’Loak in charge. Morinth is smart enough not to feed her desires within the lair of another. No, she will have a favourite hunting ground, the same which she found Nef and no doubt many others to feed.”

“Sounds almost like a vampire,” Shepard muttered.

“Ah, they are a human legend I have heard about. While she might not feed on blood, there are certainly similarities between the two.” She looked him up and down. “I would suggest you change, Shepard. And do not go armed.”

“I can fight without a weapon if necessary.” He held up his fists. “These can cause damage. And I have my biotics too.”

Shepard headed upstairs to change as she took ten minutes to meditate, calming her nerves. This was the closest she had been in centuries. It was unlikely Morinth had any idea that she was now so close. And Shepard was the perfect bait. Morinth would take one look at him and desire him. All Shepard had to do was play the perfect victim.

He reappeared dressed for the club. Even Samara could admit he was a good looking man. If she thought so, Morinth would definitely think so. Without another word, the pair headed back onto Omega, heading straight for the club. She didn’t need to give him any last minute advice except he should just act natural and she’d approach eventually.

Sending him into the lion’s den was a last minute plan, but she needed to act quickly. Morinth never hunted in any place for too long. She was smart enough to know a pattern soon emerged, and anywhere that had an asari population would soon put two and two together. Listening into the noise from inside, she heard Shepard order a drink and chat with other patrons. He was a natural at things like that. Everyone was his friend when he was relaxing.

She admitted to holding her breath until she finally heard her voice. "_My name is Morinth. I've been watching you. You're certainly the most interesting person in here. I've got both a booth nearby. Why don't you come and sit with me?"_

Part one was gaining her attention. Part two was keeping her attention. Part three was getting her alone. Part one was perhaps the easiest part. Considering he was an excellent physical specimen, now it came to impressing her mind. She heard the two settle into a booth, the boom of the music in the background as they chatted about their lives. Morinth had the perfect cover story, of course. She thought Shepard would have been recognisable, but she clearly didn’t recognise him. Shepard was vague in regards to his own life, of course, but played the part perfectly. She could almost see the predatory grin form on her daughter’s mouth as she asked, "_Do you want to get out of here? My apartment is nearby, and I want you alone."_

The tone Shepard used was one that suggested he definitely wanted to have sex with her. She now wondered who was playing who. She watched as Shepard and Morinth left the club together, and Shepard was still playing the part perfectly. But she could see his face and see he wasn’t in her thrall when she wasn’t looking at him. Following at a distance, Morinth certainly had a fine apartment considering it was Omega. The two disappeared inside as she waited outside, ready to strike.

Listening into the conversation, it was clear Morinth was attracted to Shepard. As for him, the tone suggested he was attracted in return, but she could only hope it was all for show. While they had spent plenty of talking in the club, Morinth didn’t waste any time trying to get her claws into Shepard once they were alone. There was no sound of any kissing, so that was a relief, but it was a clear they were on a couch, sitting close to each other.

"_Look into my eyes and tell me that you want me. Tell me that you'd kill for me. Tell me that you would do anything I want."_

_“Already do plenty of killing as it is. So I assume what you want right now is sex. Thing is, I also get plenty of that. Have at least half a dozen women on my ship who keep my dick wet. Then I have a few more dotted around the galaxy that I share a bed with. So while I could possibly fuck you and enjoy it, I like my brain where it is.”_

Morinth reply was one of confusion for a moment. Then she heard the venom in her tone. _"Oh, I see what's going on here. The bitch has found herself a little helper."_

She strode into the apartment straight away, not giving her daughter a chance to slip away. But she walked in to find Shepard already holding her in place, though summoned her biotics, flinging him away when their eyes finally met for the first time in centuries.

"Hello, mother," Morinth stated, hatred dripping from her voice.

She raised a hand, lifting Morinth into the air before flinging her backwards. "Do not call me that, Morinth. You haven't given me a choice for what I am about to do."

She didn’t take her eyes from her though sensed Shepard was willing to involve himself if necessary. She simply shook her head, guessing he would remain in play, just in case things went wrong. Morinth summoned her own biotics again, forcing her onto the back foot. "My only crime was being born with the gifts you gave me, Mother!"

Mother and daughter now traded attacks. Samara could only be impressed by her power, though how she had gained it was the reason she was there at that moment. "I am the genetic destiny of the asari. But they are not ready to reveal this, so it is I who must die."

"You are a disease to be purged, nothing more," she replied, keeping her voice neutral. To speak of her daughter in such a manner, even after all this time, even after the countless deaths…

She was gaining the upper hand in their battle of wills. Samara had centuries more experience. And she would not hesitate in killing Morinth. She could sense that Morinth was wilting, that although there was little but hatred, she would still hesitate killing her. It was something to use to her advantage.

"Shepard, I can help you," Morinth pleaded.

"I am already sworn to you, Shepard."

“Yeah, I think I’m going to turn down your offer, Morinth. Samara had already proven her loyalty to me.”

“Thank you, Shepard.”

Morinth wilted completely, and Samara flung her back against the wall, her daughter collapsing to the ground. Samara strode forward as Morinth backed up. For a moment, all she saw was her daughter, fearing for her life, and that the fear was provoked by her own mother. But too much time had passed, too much had been done, to hesitate even for a moment. She kneeled down, grasping Morinth by the throat. Summoning her biotics, she met the eyes of her daughter for a final time.

"Find peace in the embrace of the goddess."

She looked away as she struck. Once it was done, she simply stood up and turned around, ensuring she kept her face blank as Shepard approached. Before he could say a word, all she said was, "Show mercy on a broken old warrior and let us leave, Shepard. That is all I ask."

They walked in silence back to the ship, stopping to let Nef’s mother that justice had been delivered. It provided some comfort but the truth was that her daughter was still dead, just like many daughters were over the centuries Morinth had been free to commit her unspeakable crimes. But they were still thanked for helping, the pair waving away any reward offered. They had done it simply because it had been the right thing to do.

Back on the ship, Shepard escorted her to the lounge, asked if she was alright. “I will be later, Shepard. Give me time to meditate on what has happened.”

“Of course.”

Before he left, she grabbed his hand, which clearly surprised him, before pulling him close and embracing him. “Thank you,” she whispered, “Simple words, but I cannot adequately express how much your help is appreciated.”

“No worries, Samara. We did a good thing tonight.”

She let him go and met his eyes. Then he nodded and turned towards the elevator. She positioned herself on the ground as always, looking out over the stars. As always, she was soon joined by Thane, the pair meditating in silence, finding their centre, focusing on the simple act of breathing to find their centre.

“It is done?” he asked.

“Centuries of hunting has come to an end, Thane. I am now free to pursue my own path once again. I will help Shepard and then… I am not sure. Continue to provide justice to those who seek it. But, first, we must end the Collector threat. Humanity is first. No doubt they seek to destroy us all in the end.”

Her mind had been distracted by the hunt for her daughter. Now her mind was clear. Her focus was now on Shepard and his mission.


	45. Reaper

Even approaching the derelict Reaper, I still thought we were being led into a trap. My trust of and in the Illusive Man, which had never been high to begin with, was now zero. But he was the only one feeding me information, so unfortunately, I had to rely on it. Standing by Joker as we exited the final relay, he flicked his way through various screens until we could just about see it in the distance.

“You know, even after what happened on the Citadel, just seeing one of these things again freaks me out a little bit,” my pilot stated.

“You and me both.”

“Yet you’re still getting on the thing?”

Have to, Joker. Without the IFF, all of our work so far is for nothing. But, as I’ve told the others, we get on, grab the IFF, and get the fuck out of there. We are not messing around while on a Reaper.”

We both grew quiet as the Reaper loomed ever larger ahead of us. Whatever had shot it had done a far amount of damage, though considering how old this Reaper was, whatever civilisation had killed it was long ago dead. Perhaps a last climactic event before they’d been wiped out. We’d already managed to kill one Reaper, and that had taken all the power of a single fleet. Taking on an armada of these things didn’t bear thinking about.

The _Normandy_ started to shake and rattle on our approach, my grip on the back of Joker’s chair tightening as it grew steadily worse. Soon enough, I was nearly being shaken from my feet, using both hands to hold onto Joker. He was seated securely, of course, I should have been, like everyone else, but I wanted to watch.

"No idea, Commander. The wind's gusting up to 500 k/ph. I'm doing my best to hold the old girl steady but even my talents are being stretched."

“Just get us there in one piece, Joker.”

“Aye, Commander.”

“Shepard, I have detected a second ship currently sitting alongside the Reaper. Its signature suggests it is a geth ship."

“Fantastic, EDI. Just what we need.”

The shaking got so bad, I really thought my ship was going to disintegrate into a thousand pieces and I’d be thrown to my death again. And I didn’t think I’d be brought back to life a second time. Fairly sure Cerberus wouldn’t want to spend another four billion bringing me back.

But as bad as it got, the ship then suddenly calmed completely and cheers quickly erupted from behind me as I stepped forward, looking at Joker. "Hmm. You may not like this one, Commander."

“What?” I asked, completely deadpan.

"The Reaper's mass effect fields are still active. We just passed inside the envelope."

"Still active? I thought this thing was meant to be, you know, dead?"

Joker could only shrug in reply. "You're asking the wrong man about that one, Commander."

“Shit.” We gazed out front as the Reaper was now dead in front of us. It was enormous, I think even bigger than Sovereign, though I had never seen that ship up close. Joker whistled, and if he was impressed, then it must have been large. “Thirty-seven million years old, and it’s still in good condition, or so it seems,” I muttered, “Guess nothing dies in space. But I don’t like the idea that’s mass effect field is still operative. Surely that must mean it’s still somehow alive?” Joker just looked up at me and shrugged. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. EDI?”

“Yes, Shepard?”

“Have the team meet me down by the shuttle. We’ll have to transport ourselves that way. Joker, once we’re on board, pull back to the edge of the mass effect envelope. If we need to bug out, come in, collect, then we go. Hopefully, though, it all should go… well, I won’t say smoothly but…”

“No jinxing it, Commander.”

I’d already grabbed all my gear, so I headed back to the elevator. I did stop for thirty seconds as Kelly looked desperate to give me a hug. She didn’t say too much, I guess not to jinx it again, simply giving me a soft kiss on my cheek and wished me good luck before letting me go. I returned a grin and a wink just before the doors shut.

The team I’d selected was waiting down by the shuttle. This time, I went for pure firepower. Zaeed, Grunt, Garrus, Jack, Samara and myself. Miranda would remain on the ship in the event something terrible went wrong and she could report to the Illusive Man. Everyone else still popped down to wish us luck. I hadn’t been shy in giving my opinion, but they were also confident I’d drag them through hell if I could guarantee them victory and survival.

The shuttle ride barely took five minutes, watching the screens on either side, one looking at the Reaper, the other at the _Normandy_ immediately retreating to a safe distance. The shuttle pilot would drop us and return to the ship as well. I didn’t want anyone exposed for any longer than necessary, concerned enough that we would probably spend too long on the derelict Reaper.

Once on board, the shuttle took off and that left the six of us to deal with whatever we found. The Illusive Man hadn’t been hopeful about finding the research team. Neither was I. They were either dead or had been turned crazy by being on board the ancient ship. Within a couple of minutes, the silence was deafening. No sign of life whatsoever. The word I thought was creepy, like the start of a horror movie, just waiting for the first jump scare. That feelings which crawls up your back, ready to give you one hell of a fright.

Cerberus had come prepared as we found numerous mobile laboratories, filled with half-finished experiments, research terminals, workstations that came with audio and video recordings. I opened my comm link back to the ship, thankful that we could still communicate, at least. “Miranda, you heard of or worked with a Doctor Chandana?”

_“Not worked, Shepard, but the name is familiar. Respected scientist within the organisation and a real fascination with anything to do with the Reapers. Explains his selection to lead the taskforce sent in by the Illusive Man.”_

“He’s probably dead.”

_“They’re all dead, Shepard. I don’t think anyone expects survivors. Not even the Illusive Man. Just get the IFF so we can get out of here. Just being this far away from the ship gives me the creeps.”_

“Try being on it!” I retorted with humour before switching off the link.

We moved on, and it was obvious that Cerberus had spent plenty of time, money and manpower on setting up everything, walking along a series of corridors, everything well lit, almost like being back on Lazarus Station rather than inside a millions year old Reaper. But I’m sure I wasn’t the only one seriously creeped out by now. Then there was a large bang followed by the Reaper being shaken by god only knows what. I looked around to be greeted by more than one pair of eyes now fully alert. “Weapons ready,” I ordered, before opening the comm link again, “Normandy, report.”

_“The Reaper just put up its kinetic barriers.”_

“Isn’t this thing supposed to be dead?” Garrus asked.

“Maybe there will soon be big monsters to kill!” Grunt stated enthusiastically. No real surprise there.

“_Shepard, there is bound to be a core to the Reaper that powers the barriers. If you can get to the core and shut it down, the barriers will go with it._”

“Yay, let’s all walk to the middle of a derelict Reaper.” I paused for a moment before sighing. “Have the shuttle pilot on standby, Miranda. This isn’t going to be easy.” Switching off the link again, I turned to the other five. “Weapons free and hot. We shoot anything that moves which isn’t a human. And, before you ask, I doubt Cerberus has asari or turians working here. Full human crew.” I paused, then thought of a rather important question. “EDI, where is the core?”

"_At the moment of activation, I detected a heat spike in what is likely the wreck's mass effect core. Sending the co-ordinates to you all now. A warning, Shepard_."

"What is it, EDI?"

"_The core powers the barriers while also maintaining the Reapers altitude within the proximity of the planet."_

“So this fucking thing is alive?” Jack asked, trying to keep the fear out of her tone.

I could only shrug before replying, “It’s dead in the sense that it won’t kill us all. But it clearly still has power and no doubt it’s indoctrinated everyone in here. So, as I said, we get this done quickly.”

We moved on and now there was noise as weapons were pointed everywhere. Any noise caused a swinging of all weapons, or hearing the noise of biotics being powered up and readied to fling. We did eventually find a pile of bodies, dried blood and bullet holes lining the wall behind them. Could only guess they’d been shot by a fellow scientist. We didn’t bother checking if anyone was alive.

Deeper into the Reaper we walked, feeling as if we were in the very centre. It was truly cavernous, like something none of us had ever seen before. Then we heard a noise and, when the noise turned into a growl, I knew what was coming.

“Husks!” I cried, immediately summoning biotics, ready to move. As soon as the first few appeared, I charged, hearing Grunt’s shotgun blasting away. Silence was replaced by a cacophony of noise, the thump of biotics and firing of weapons as I lost count of the number of husks I sent flying or blasted away with my trusty shotgun. I barely had a chance to look to see Grunt seemingly covered in husks, flinging them away, stamping into the head of one while blasting two away at once with his shotgun. The rest of my team assisted, husks falling at their feet.

It was a short, sharp battle, but clearly a sign of things to come. And it was now obvious as to what happened to the research team. Walking into another laboratory a couple of minutes later, we found further evidence they’d been indoctrinated, complaining about headaches, visions and nightmares as they sleep, clear evidence the Reaper, while ‘dead’, could still effect people.

“If any of you start suffering even a minor headache, tell me immediately,” I ordered, meeting every set of eyes and making sure they nodded.

Far in the distance, we could see spikes upon which bodies had been places. Clearly not to become husks, these looked like sacrifices. Jack would normally celebrate seeing dead Cerberus people, but not even she could find joy in it.

Now that our presence was known, we ran into more enemies. Husks continued to flood forward, but more Reaper monsters approached us. Those big Scion things we’d named came forward, and they were a bitch to take down, having to rely on my assault rifle instead of biotics. Get too close and I’d be mincemeat. Grunt got in close, of course, and paid for it with blood, though he was usually lucky to keep all four limbs.

Meeting the occasional group of husks and other monsters, we kept moving on. At least it was no longer silent, so that stopped the fear from overcoming us. I always found having monsters to kill a good distraction. We found another workstation nearby and that had a video log. None of us would have recognised the face that greeted us, but the blood spatter on his face spoke volumes in addition to what he had to say.

"_Chandana said the ship was dead. We trusted him. He was right. But even a dead god can dream. A god — a real god — is a verb. Not some old man with magic powers. It's a force. It warps reality just by being there. It doesn't have to want to. It doesn't have to think about it. It just does. That's what Chandana didn't get. Not until it was too late. The god's mind is gone but it still dreams. He knows now. He's tuned in on our dreams. If I close my eyes I can feel him. I can feel every one of us."_

“You know, fuck you, Shepard, for bringing me onto this fucking Reaper,” Jack shouted. I glanced her way, and there was no anger at all. Only fear. Garrus shuffled uncomfortably. The only one who looked serene as always was Samara, though she hid her feelings well.

Through the next door and the chamber was just full of Reaper monsters wanting to kill us. I charged left, right, front, back, blasting away, going so far as to use the butt of my shotgun when I’d run out of bullets before reloading. Still plenty of husks but other monsters the Reapers seemed to like using, more evidence the Collectors were their agents. Each battle never lasted longer than a few minutes at most, leaving the monsters did, and the six of us covered in sweat, blood, Reaper… blood, I guess, and also small wounds we could either ignore, or slightly larger wounds which needed medi-gel.

Busy checking my omni-tool to see where we should head next, I heard the crack of a rifle, immediately looking up at its origin, assault rifle from my back in a second, eye to the scope. “Geth!”

I would have opened fire normally, but it… held up a hand. As if in greeting. My finger, which had been on the trigger, moved away as I lowered my assault rifle. “Take the shot, Shepard?” Garrus asked.

"Shepard-Commander," the geth stated.

“Okay, you all just heard it, right?” I asked. Before I could say anything else, or anyone else could open fire, the geth turned and disappeared from sight. “What the fuck was that about?”

“Why are the geth here?” Zaeed asked. It was unusual he’d ask such a question. If he asked, then it must be bloody interesting indeed.

“No fucking idea, but it explains the geth ship outside,” I replied, “The geth were allied with the Reapers and Saren originally. Haven’t seen any other geth so maybe it’s… fuck, I don’t know. Let’s just move on.”

We moved on, and though the Reaper may not have technically been alive, it still managed to send hordes of monsters to stop our progress. We were all taking minor wounds by now, shields and armour can only do so much, particularly if you’re someone like Grunt or myself, in the thick of the action. Husks were not a problem. It was anything else that could lop an arm, leg or even head off if even a tiny mistake is made. It didn’t make Grunt take any care, but with the numbers we were facing, I eventually linked up with Jack and Samara, combining our biotic talents to cause no end of destruction.

No matter what, we pushed on, though I was starting to feel the strain, feeling my body just bathed in sweat. Glancing at Jack, she was in the same condition. She might have had biotic ability coming out her arse, but she was still human. Samara was the complete opposite, serene as always. Enough to make someone else just a little bit jealous.

Cerberus had obviously taken over nearly the entire Reaper. At the moment, we had no classification of different Reapers. We had no idea if there were different sizes. Sovereign had been enormous but this Reaper felt, on the surface, even larger. We’d been walking and fighting for what felt like hours by now. EDI kept us up to date with our progress, letting us know how close we were to the core every couple of hundred metres.

We fought every inch of the way until EDI informed us the core lay ahead through the next door. The six of us took a moment to check weapons, fill ammo, slap medi-gel on any wounds, or just took the chance to take a deep breath, wipe the brow of sweat, and ready oneself for whatever lay on the other side of the door.

I don’t think any of us expected the chamber to be empty, the enormous mass effect core of the Reaper shining rather brightly in the distance. And standing around a hundred metres away at a console was the geth we’d seen earlier. Or, at least, I think it was. Geth all looked the same to me. Before any of us could react, at least a dozen husks converged on it. We’d crossed half of the chamber when all hell broke loose, Reaper monsters flooding in from all sides.

There were no tactics. I charged and blasted… continuously. I heard the thump of biotics from Jack and Samara, and the blast of a second shotgun, but I was far too busy just charging about myself. The dead Reaper must have known what we were up to, or everything sent our way was automation, or there were still indoctrinated people we hadn’t found. Grunt eventually went down under the sheet weight of enemies he was fighting, so I had to charge, knock at least half a dozen off him, and then we stood back and back and blasted. Garrus and Zaeed joined us, turning us into a three-sixty wheel of death. I’m sure it looked rather amusing.

“This is fuckin’ insane,” Zaeed yelled over the gunfire.

“Just kill the fucking things!”

“This is what I get for leaving Omega, Shepard,” Garrus muttered.

Jack was now just sending shockwave after shockwave, sending husks, scions and any other creature flying, with Samara pulling, throwing and warping anything that wasn’t part of our team. Slowly but surely, we gained the upper hand, bodies just piling up around us. I ordered us to move towards the IFF, EDI stating it was near where the geth was now lying on the ground. Whether it was dead or not, I couldn’t be sure.

Grabbing the IFF, we turned and mowed down the remaining Reaper monsters, and when the last one finally died, I think we all just about slumped the floor exhausted. “Okay, what about the geth?” Garrus asked.

“What about it?”

“Well, it seemed… friendly, or at least an ally. Aren’t you wondering why it’s here?”

I met his eyes and shrugged. “Honestly, not really. It’s a geth. I usually shoot the bastards.”

“This one had an opportunity to shoot you but didn’t. Maybe it’s here for a reason?”

It was a sound argument. “Okay, Grunt, I’ll set this core to blow up. Grab the geth and then we’ll get out of here. Normandy?”

_“Reading you, Commander.”_

“Head towards the Reaper. Open the hangar bay so we can just climb on board. I want us away by the time the core explodes.”

_“Heading your way now, Commander.”_

Grunt picked up the geth unit as I set about causing an explosion I’d love to see but I wanted to be sure we were well out of the way by the time it did. “Ready to move, people?” Receiving positive replies, I set the core to explode in five minutes. Grunt had the geth unit and we jogged quickly back the way we’d come. Thankfully all the doors were open, and all we had to do was make sure we didn’t tumble over the piles of bodies we’d left in our wake.

The _Normandy_ was exactly where I asked it to meet us, making sure the crew was on board first before I climbed aboard, yelling out to Joker to depart straight away. I felt the ship move, glancing back to see the door raise into position. Never heard nor saw the explosion, though I’m sure it would have looked spectacular.

Thanking the crew for their assistance, I had Grunt take the geth unit upstairs. Unsure where to leave it, I had it placed in the AI core with EDI, though she made sure it was shielded and couldn’t hack into our ship. I also had Tali head up from engineering, and she was ready to have a fit before realising it was dead, or at least not working. “Why did you bring it?” she asked.

“Garrus was under the impression it was trying to communicate with us. While I don’t trust geth, he did make a good point. Might be worth trying to talk to it. Can you wake it up?”

“I should be able to get it running. Do you want me present otherwise?”

“Up to you, Tali.”

“I’ll see. Not doing it now?”

“No. First thing EDI is doing is running a test on this IFF. Well, more than one. EDI, I want this thing checked thoroughly before we install it. I don’t want to be caught with my pants down again.”

“Of course, Shepard. I will notify you once I’m assured the IFF will pose no danger to the ship or crew.”

“Thanks, EDI.”

Satisfied that neither the geth nor the IFF would post an immediate threat, though I still posted guards by the AI core, and asked Chakwas to remain vigilant with whatever lay behind her, I headed up to the CIC to check for any messages before heading up to the cabin. I really needed a shower as I was probably covered in a film of dried sweat. Dumping my armour on the floor, I found the hot water refreshing, leaning forward against the wall as the exhaustion just hit me like a tonne of bricks.

“Want some company?” I heard Kelly asked, glancing to see she was already naked, walking towards me.

I turned and embraced her as she stepped into my arms, leaning down for a soft kiss. “You look exhausted, Shepard.”

“I don’t think I’ve used my biotics so much yet. I’ll definitely need a large meal later to restore some energy. Jack wasn’t feeling much better.”

“At least you’re back alive, Shepard.”

I met her eyes and smirked. “Were you worried, Miss Chambers?” I asked softly.

Resting her head against my chest, I gave her a little squeeze. “The closer we get to finishing this, the more nervous I get. Then I start thinking about what happens afterwards.”

“Thinking of the future?”

“Of course. Don’t you?”

“Trying not to, in all honesty. I don’t want to die again, and I don’t want anyone else to die. But what we’re doing… there will be casualties.” I paused before adding, “And now we have a geth on board. I really don’t know what to make of it.”

“Why did you bring it?”

I chuckled. “I blame Garrus, though he made a good point. It looked like it was trying to help, or at least communicate. I’ve never seen a geth operating alone either. They usually work in packs. Tali explained that the more geth around, the smarter they were. And this geth actually spoke, said my name, so they must be aware of my return.”

Kelly helped me clean myself up, her soft hands running all over my body, which certainly provoked the reaction you’d expect. So once I was clean, I turned off the shower and threw her over my shoulder, earning plenty of squeals and giggles before I sat down on the couch with her on my lap. She immediately kissed me, lifting herself up and sliding down my cock, and then rested as she simply gazed at me for a few moments. “Love you,” she whispered.

“You were definitely worried.”

“Of course. Isn’t that what your girlfriend is supposed to do?”

“Oh, we’ve upgraded to girlfriend now, have we?”

“Well, I am up here every night. And...” I cut her off with a deep kiss that made her whimper and me almost growl into her mouth, spinning her so she was on her back on the couch, feeling her legs split apart as I buried myself inside her. “So you don’t mind the idea then, Shepard?” she asked, needing to take a breath.

I answered by starting to gently thrust into her, leaning down and simply kissing her, feeling her left leg wrap around my hip. “I love it. Though… I think I have more than one on that basis.”

“Don’t care. Get you most of the time.”

There wasn’t much more talking over the next few minutes. For some reason, she just needed me in that moment, and the day I said no to sex with Kelly Chambers is the day I cut my dick off as there would be no point having it otherwise. Soon, both her legs were around me, feeling her heels dig in, fingers digging into my back as I picked up the tempo of my thrusts, leaning down to kiss and gently bite her neck, hearing her moan into my ear. I knew all her zones that would turn her on.

“Shepard,” she breathed.

“Love a good post mission fuck, Kelly. You know me well.”

“I just… I just needed you right now.”

I raised my head and gave her a soft kiss, despite the fact I was fucking her now. “No complaints at all.”

Feeling my orgasm approach, I wanted her to cum as well, so managed to manoeuvre so I was on my back. She grinned as she leaned forward, watching her face light up as I was now hitting all the right spots. “Fuck me,” she cried quietly. I didn’t need asking twice. Now it was simply about timing, and a broad grin formed as she understood what I was trying to do.

“Keep going,” I whispered, our eyes not parting. I could read those and know when she was getting close.

“Nearly there,” she whispered back.

She felt wonderful as always. I loved how wet she got, as it certainly made it better when eating her out, and she seemed to get even wetter when riding me, turned on as she was. And feeling her start to squeeze my cock as she approached her orgasm, that’s when I started to thrust up into her, needing my own release.

I was holding back for as long as possible, and when she started to make those little sounds, those little body movements, and really starting to squeeze my cock as she started to cum, that’s when I thrust around half a dozen times at most before I came hard inside her, groaning loudly as she rested herself on my chest, holding her rather tightly as it felt like I almost blacked out for a moment.

Lying together in relative silence for a few minutes, she eventually raised her head to meet my eyes. “Well, that’s better,” she stated with humour.

“Just needed a bit of Shepard time?”

“I needed some of your dick, Shepard. Sometimes, that’s all I want. Nothing but you inside me.”

“Well, I’m certainly not complaining about that.”

Lifting herself up off me, we staggered over to the bed where she could snuggle into my side as I lay on my back, enjoying the feeling of her skin against my body, so soft compared to my hard body. We lay like that for a little while before I eventually needed a nap, woken after an hour or so, informed that it was dinner time. I just threw on a pair of jeans, shirt and my shoes before heading downstairs. Everyone was present, even Jack, though she looked as exhausted as I still felt. Samara looked like she’d been lazing about all day on the ship. Show off.

“I’ve informed the Illusive Man of our success,” Miranda reported, “Though I did not mention the geth.”

“Because of Overlord?” I wondered.

“And other reasons, Shepard. When do you plan on waking it?”

“Tomorrow. I don’t want to deal with it tonight. All I want is sleep.”

“You and me both,” Jack muttered, half-asleep at the table next to mine.

“If there is nothing else that is required, we will head to Illium for a last hurrah, then we go straight to the Omega Four. Though I told everyone to approach me about anything personal prior to getting the IFF, knowing that it is Reaper technology and not something to fuck around with, EDI will be checking it. Plus, having a geth on board complicates matters more. Anyone have any problem with trying to wake it up?”

I noticed everyone looked at Tali, who looked at me and shrugged. “You’ve already asked for my help. It’s already under guard. The only thing I would suggest is that, when I wake it up, you be armed as well.”

“It did seem to be friendly,” Garrus stated, “Never thought I’d say that about a geth.”

“Though I have no time for geth myself, I am growing my intrigued as to its presence on the Reaper. And there are many other questions starting to bubble up in my head, so tomorrow morning, I will probably wake it up. Grunt, Zaeed, I’ll want you present and armed in case it does decide to do something stupid. Tali, I’ll cover you personally.”

“Can I send anything we learn back to the Fleet?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you, Shepard. Maybe we’ll learn something that’ll give us an advantage.”

“I think your people might be a little more circumspect after your father.”

She nodded. “Xen has already been in communication. She discovered a lot of what my father was up to. She just called me a naïve young fool, though understood to a point. My father’s name hasn’t been destroyed. That’s what mattered.”

“Are you still vas Normandy?”

She nodded again. “I will be until I returned to the Fleet, Shepard. Not sure I’ll return to the Neema after everything that happened. Although the captain supported me, going through that sort of trial does cause problems, even if found not guilty. There’s also the chance I’ll end up working on a ship dedicated to geth research.”

After dinner, some of us wanted to chill out in the lounge, enjoying a drink or two. Though the mission had been successful, it was certainly not a celebration. It was simply the last piece of the puzzle before we headed off to the Omega Four. Kelly was cuddling into my side as always, Kasumi on the other, no doubt looking for a little affection from me as well. Kelly whispered something into my ear, which I whispered into Kasumi’s. She loved the idea, and I grabbed their hands, leading them away.

Once upstairs, there was no wasting time from Kasumi as she stripped off, Kelly and I joining her on the bed. I was immediately between my Japanese lovers’ legs, making her moan within seconds, hearing Kelly giggle beside me as I buried my face and ate her out. “Shepard!” Kasumi did cry out as I grinned to myself.

Kelly then tapped my shoulder, moving out of the way as she leaned down for a taste. Kasumi did lift her head for that and met my eyes. “Oh, I do believe I will return the favour,” she stated.

Kelly thought that sounded like a good idea, so slid up the bed to hover over Kasumi’s face, watching her lower her body down and Kasumi’s tongue soon flicked out to taste her pussy. I lowered my mouth to resume eating out Kasumi, though I found her eating out Kelly rather distracting. Kelly turned around so she could at least look at me at the same time.

“She’s good, Shepard,” she breathed, “Love our threesomes. You pick women who can really eat pussy.”

“Better than me?”

“Different. You own my body when you do it, Shepard.”

Kasumi was soon distracted by what I was doing, Kelly giggling as Kasumi had to stop every so often to moan loudly, feeling her body shudder as I held onto her thighs, now spending plenty of time focusing on her clit. Not too much, otherwise she’d get overly sensitive. “Does she taste nice, Shepard?”

“I learned the very first time I would happily eat out my Japanese lover every time. Her scent is intoxicating and I love the hair.” I looked up and met Kelly’s eyes. “Just like I love you little patch. A true redhead, Kelly.”

She smiled as I continued pleasing Kasumi, who couldn’t take much more, feeling her wanting to squeeze her legs shut as she moaned loudly, her back arching slightly as she cried out. “Oh god,” she moaned, and the fact she asked me to stop soon after wasn’t a surprise. There was a lot going on for her to take in.

So I left Kasumi alone as she could re-focused on Kelly. I sat in front of her, sharing a kiss with her before I moved my mouth down her body, eventually focusing on those wonderful breasts she had. With Kasumi between her legs and me teasing her breasts while also using a hand to fondle her clit, the fact she came hard quickly wasn’t a surprise.

Kelly collapsed onto the bed next to Kasumi as I sat back on my knees, looking over both of them, looking rather satisfied. Within a couple of minutes, both were on their knees before me, Kasumi eagerly swallowing my cock. Looking up at me, I ran a hand through her hair as her head was soon bobbing up and down quickly, and I wasn’t going to last long.

“Share it with Kelly,” I said,

I lasted five minutes at most. Nothing wrong with that, turned on as I was having caused one orgasm and witnessed another. Kasumi eagerly took my load in her mouth before she turned and kissed Kelly without hesitation, and once they each had a bit, they looked at me and grinned before making audible gulping noises. “God, I love doing that,” Kelly said.

“I would have swallowed the whole lot,” Kasumi added.

I needed time to recover after that, so having pleasured Kasumi, I threw Kelly down on the bed and pleased her instead, and this time she could eat out Kasumi at the same time. Kelly, turned on as she was, didn’t last long until I had her shuddering at what I was doing, and I made her cum more than once. Only rarely did she ever ask me to stop after only the one. Giving her a chain of orgasms was always amusing, as it left her entire body like jelly, though she still managed to keep eating out Kasumi at the same time.

Stopping after the third one tore through her body, I lay beside her as Kasumi lowered herself down so the two women could please each other. Kelly noticed me to the side and definitely smirked. “Live show, Shepard.”

I had them spin around so they were in the middle, and once I felt nice and hard again, I slid into Kasumi as she pleasured Kelly. Of course, I was too much of a distraction after a few minutes, and Kelly eventually moved herself from under Kasumi, instead laying in front of her, so Kelly could watch me as I really started to fuck Kasumi from behind. She had to look back for a moment. “Fuck me, Shepard,” she moaned, “And you’d better cum in me too.”

“Guaranteed.”

Holding onto her hips, I was soon pounding her hard, as I wanted a good fuck, I wanted to cum, and then I wanted to sleep. I was already feeling the stresses and strains of the day. Having a long night of sex probably wasn’t the best of ideas, but it was too good an opportunity to turn down, and I certainly wanted to have some more fun with Kasumi.

She was as wet, tight and welcoming as the first time, eventually stopping her focus on Kelly as I repositioned myself, crouching over her, really driving my cock in nice and hard. “Love your pussy,” I whispered into her ear.

“Love your cock, Shepard. Been so long since I was fucked this well.”

“Won’t last much longer.”

“Don’t care. Loving it now.”

Kelly moved so she could sit on her knees so she could kiss me or Kasumi, and the look in her eyes suggested she wanted a good fuck afterwards. Feeling my orgasm approach, I pulled back and managed to spin Kasumi around so she was on her back, spreading her legs wide as I slid back inside her and pounded her for another couple of minutes before I erupted. It was one hell of an enjoyable orgasm, her arms and legs wrapping around me as the exhaustion I’d been feeling really took hold. I felt Kelly kiss up my body before her lips were at my ear. “Okay, tomorrow morning, Shepard. You need sleep.”

I nodded dumbly as I kissed Kasumi, her face one of utter bliss, considering she’d enjoyed herself that night as well. We all needed a shower after that, though it was nothing but a quick wash before we headed to bed. No surprise I was the first to fall asleep.

The next morning, after we had a little more fun, though Kelly was almost insistent that she ride my cock to orgasm more than once, we headed downstairs for breakfast, again to the consternation of Garrus, while Jack simply smirked as I sat with Kasumi to my left, Kelly to my right, both being rather affectionate as we ate breakfast. “Where was my invite?” she asked.

“Two women at once is hard work as it is,” I replied.

“Well, you fuck one, the other can eat my pussy, Shepard. It’s not that difficult to figure out. Or you fuck one, the one you fuck can eat pussy, as can the other. There are ways and means, Shepard.”

“Sounds like your cabin is just going to turn into an orgy, Shepard,” Garrus joked.

“Maybe after we’ve defeated the Collectors. I’ll just have all the women lined up on hands and knees on my bed, fuck each one.”

“Fuck, that’s hot, Shepard,” Jack stated.

“Long as I get a good fuck,” Kelly whispered into my ear.

I shook my head, eating the rest of my meal in silence as conversation carried on between the groups. I had a feeling Miranda and Jacob had been fooling around as they were sat together, and I knew Miranda’s ‘I’ve been properly fucked’ face. When she looked my way and I simply gazed back at her, the blush that appeared told me I was right.

“Good night, Jacob?”

“No complaints, Shepard. Or, at least, I hope I don’t hear any.”

Miranda glanced my way before looking back at Jacob. “My pussy is still red raw, Jacob.”

“Now that I’d like to see,” I stated with humour.

“Play your cards right, Shepard, and you can have my arse again as well.”

Garrus looked straight at me again. “Fucking hell, Shepard!” he cried, slamming the table with his hand, laughing away.

“Hey, it was a threesome with Jacob. He took the front, I had the back.”

“How the hell do you get anything else done?” he wondered, laughing away.

“It’s a pleasant distraction.” Clearing my throat, I looked at Tali, “Okay, once we’re all finished here, I think it’s time to deal with the geth. Get it done quickly.”

Half an hour later, Tali and I were in the AI core, Zaeed and Grunt covering from the door leading in. The med-bay door was locked and secured. Outside was everyone else, including all members of my ground team, armed and ready in case the geth decided to attack. I didn’t think it would get through the four of us, but it was better being cautious around such things. The IFF was already being tested, EDI ensuring the firewalls were in place and the ship was protected. She was now doing the same thing with the geth, ensuring it couldn’t hamper the ship or any of us once it was awake.

“Okay, Tali. Get it done.”

I gripped my shotgun a little tighter as she opened her omni-tool and got to work. The geth sparked more than once as she keyed a series of commands. Then we all seemed to hold our collective breath as it slowly started to wake up. First the light on its head turned on, before it started to slowly move, and it was bizarre in that it moved rather organically. Rising so it sat on the bench, it looked at Tali and I before clearly glancing past to see Zaeed and Grunt, and I heard the rustle and click of weapons and armour. Then it just stood there, looking at me, I guess waiting for whatever happened next.

“Do you understand me?”

“Yes,” the geth replied. Tali gasped beside me, no doubt surprised at the fact it talked.

“Will you attack us?”

“No.” That earned a scoff from Tali. Didn’t blame her. The geth looked at her for a moment before returning its attention to me.

“Why not? Fought plenty of you before.”

“We mean you no harm. And we have never fought you.”

"I've fought a lot of geth. So have my companions. Why do you claim we have never met?"

"We are all geth, and we have never met you."

"How do you even know me? How do you know who I am?"

"You are Shepard-Commander. Human. You were born April 11, 2154. Birthplace: Earth. Parents: Unknown. Siblings: Unknown. Joined Systems Alliance Navy, April 11, 2172."

"Rightio. So you know a lot about me. But the never fighting the geth?"

"Commander of the SSV Normandy. Fought heretics. Killed by Collectors. Rediscovered on the Old Machine."

I couldn’t help look at Tali, amazed already at what it seemed to know, and I had a feeling the longer we talked, the more secrets we might uncover. “You reckon it’s dangerous?”

“Honestly? It seems pretty docile, Shepard. And it is unarmed at the moment. Maybe talking to it will help.”

So that’s what we did, basically a question and answer session. The geth had been sent to discover what it could about the ‘Old Machines’, otherwise known as Reapers. The surprise was the schism that apparently happened in the geth. Some geth had split off to support Saren and the Reapers, the rest, including this geth unit, chose not to support Saren. That explained what it meant by ‘heretics’.

More importantly, it had been sent to find me as the geth wished to help in the battle against the Collectors and the Reapers, perhaps in the hope of fostering a better relationship between organics and the geth. To that, Tali was ready to start blasting, as the hatred the quarians had for the geth was almost unmatched. Perhaps only krogan hatred for the salarians could be considered similar.

By that stage, I’d dismissed everyone else except Tali, who no doubt wanted her own conversation with the geth. Hearing it wanted to join my team, I called Miranda in, who didn’t have a problem with it, but asked if we should let the Illusive Man know. “He’ll find out regardless,” I suggested, “Just tell him and be done with it.”

“I’ll let him know immediately but let it be known the geth is only here temporarily… like nearly everyone else, I guess.”

“Thanks, Miranda.” Looking back at the geth, I added, “So I guess we need to know what to call you."

"Geth."

"No, I mean you specifically."

"We are all geth."

I groaned in frustration. "No. The machine stood in front of me. What should I call you?"

"There is no individual, Shepard-Commander, for we are all geth. There are currently 1183 programs within this platform."

"Shepard, I believe a passage from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 5, verse 9 in the New Testament of the Christian Bible may offer the perfect name for the geth platform. "And he asked him, What is your name? And he answered, saying, my name is Legion: for we are many."

"Good suggestion, EDI." He looked at the geth. "Would that name suffice?"

"We acknowledge this as an appropriate metaphor. We are Legion. We wish to integrate with the Normandy."

So now we had a geth on board. Whatever will they think of next!


	46. Experiments

“Shepard,” Kelly breathed.

I smiled to myself as I gently kissed and bit her neck, listening to her breathing. My right hand was down the front of her trousers, finger inside her slick pussy, managing to adjust my hand so I could use my thumb gently on her clit. Looking up, I could see the crew focusing on their tasks. The fact I was busy finger blasting Kelly in the CIC wasn’t a surprise to anyone anymore. I did it nearly every day just for fun. Didn’t help that she was rubbing her arse against my erection, pressed against her desk as she was.

“Shepard,” she breathed again.

I moved my lips from her neck to her ear. “I want you to cum for me, Miss Chambers,” I whispered into her ear. She made a whimpering sound, turning and kissing me hard, the look in her eyes suggesting she would happily strip naked and have me fuck her there and then. The idea was tempting.

“I love you,” she breathed. I smiled and kissed her again, now looking for that wonderful little spot inside her pussy that would make her cum harder. I found it, of course, making her almost jump as she moaned loudly into my mouth, before she broke apart. “Fuck,” she whispered.

She was trying to hold back, of course, so I slid a second finger inside her instead, and that pretty much sealed the deal, her body gyrating against mine as she gave up any semblance of control. “Oh god!” she cried out, not even bothering to cover her mouth. I received a couple of stares, seeing me behind Kelly as she was now resting her head on the desk.

Then I thought, fuck it, why not, and removed my hand, lowered her trousers and underwear, undid my button and fly, whipping out my cock, and slid it inside her, while sticking the fingers that had been inside her pussy in her mouth. I felt her mouth immediately start to suck on those as I buried myself inside her. “Fuck,” I groaned.

As close as she was, she lasted all of two minutes before I made her cum, and I think it being so brazen and public made it even better for her, though she did cover her mouth when it really hit. I stopped moving as she squeezed my cock buried inside her, leaning down to gently kissed her rather coloured cheek, a faint brow of sweat on her forehead. “Well, I think it’s about time you just stuck your cock in me down here, Shepard,” she said with humour.

I looked around, receiving more than one look and a few grins. No-one cared. “Well, we’re not naked, but I think it’s obvious what I’ve been doing to you.”

“Shepard, your hands are constantly in my trousers. Not that I’m complaining. I spend half my day either approaching or having an orgasm. No wonder I sleep so well at night.”

I stepped back, pulling out and allowing her to turn around, where she hopped up onto her desk and pulled me forward, ensuring my cock slid back inside her. “Now, I think you need to cum as well, since you’ve made me cum in front of everyone.”

“You think I care about them? All I wanted was to make you cum and see you smile.” The smile that broke out on her face was heart-breaking in its beauty. Moments like that were a slight reminder… “Once we’re back from Omega Four, I’m taking you to Illium, where the three women I love the most will be spending a lot of time with me doing various things, surprisingly not all of a sexual nature.”

“Just mostly of a sexual nature?”

“Probably.”

I started to gently thrust into her, feeling her legs shake, looking down to see her trousers and panties eventually fall down to the floor, so she was now naked from the waist down, wrapping her legs around me. Everyone would have known what we were doing but we didn’t care anymore. I loved the woman like crazy and we both loved to fuck, plus there was just something so naughty about doing it in the CIC.

“I love your cock,” she breathed as she kissed me.

“I sometimes don’t know whether to bury my cock or just lick you up and down all night, Miss Chambers.”

“Definitely love both ideas.”

We were soon into it, trying to keep the noise down still, but we were only brought to a temporary halt when there was a cleared throat. Normally, I would have cringed, but Kelly and I were so into it, we simply stopped and looked around, noticing Mordin had made his way beside us. “What’s up, Mordin?”

“Need to speak, Shepard. Important matter. Will let you finish with Miss Chambers first.”

“Give me a few minutes, Mordin, and I’ll pop into the lab.”

“Thank you, Shepard.” He paused. “Is sex so open a common thing?”

“We’re past caring, Mordin. And no-one is watching anyway.”

“Good to see you enjoy physical aspects. Salarians have different urges. Use of birth control?”

“I have a chip which prevents any concerns, Mordin,” Kelly replied.

“I do wonder if I can produce offspring?”

“Can run tests if you wish, Shepard?”

“You can?” Mordin nodded. “I wouldn’t mind knowing if I’m shooting blanks or not after coming back from death. Cum in a cup or is there a newer method?”

“No, old method still the best.”

“Maybe you can cum in my mouth and deposit it that way, Shepard?” Kelly asked.

I gazed at her for a moment. “Mordin, give me around fifteen minutes, then I’ll be by.”

I heard him chuckle as he turned to walk away as I immediately started to pound Miss Kelly Chambers on her desk. Within five minutes, the entire CIC was definitely aware we were fucking, and it was some of the best sex we’d probably had. Kelly simply held on for dear life as I felt my orgasm approaching. “Fuck,” I groaned.

“Keep going,” she whispered into my ear.

“I’ll try.”

The day I tire of fucking Kelly Chambers will be the day I am clinically dead. The woman was sex on legs, constantly up for it, but it wasn’t just the physical aspects, we connected on numerous other levels. But the great sex was certainly a bonus. I tried to last for as long as possible, but even Shepard had his limits, and I eventually had to give in and release, groaning loudly as I felt the sweet release once again, buried inside the tight, wet pussy of my yeoman. She hugged me tightly with arms and legs as I felt a little weak in the knees after such an orgasm, eventually pulling back to see she was rather pleased with events as well.

“So, now we’ve both cum in the CIC, Shepard.”

“Well, mission is nearly over. Wait until afterwards. I’m getting you completely naked and just pounding you by the galaxy map. Bent over as I give your arse a good slap or two.”

“Now you’re just making promises I want you to keep, Shepard.”

We made out for a couple of minutes before I finally pulled out, watching her sit there happily in just her shirt, a little cum leaking out of her. For a laugh, I picked up her trousers and panties, hiding them behind my back. She simply slipped down off the desk and turned around, getting back to work with her bare arse on display. I packed myself away, stood behind her and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek, then walked away while still holding her clothes.

Mordin looked up and grinned as he saw what I was carrying. “Your yeoman is now semi-nude?”

“Yep.”

“And the crew?”

“Know what we’re like, Mordin. It’ll create some chatter, but everyone knows I adore the woman, and we like to have fun. What did you need me for?”

“Received message from old contacts. STG. Work on genophage. Ex-colleague apparently working on Tuchanka. Name of Maelon. Somewhat protégé of mine.”

“Okay. What’s the problem with that?”

“Maelon investigating cure for genophage. But have received word his methods are… unexpected. And a cure cannot be found. Not yet. The krogan are not ready.”

“So you want to stop him?”

“I would like to speak to him first. Investigate how he found a strain of the genophage to work on. State secrets. Not even STG have access.”

“Does anyone on Tuchanka know about his research? You’re obviously aware of my friendship with Urdnot Wrex.”

“Possible he has krogan protection. Do not believe Urdnot Wrex is involved. But krogan desire for genophage could lead to methods I would find distasteful.”

“Give me a moment, Mordin. I’ll check our position.” He nodded as I headed back out to the galaxy map, walking by the bare arse of Kelly, who simply hadn’t moved, as I stepped to the galaxy map. Checking our position compared to that of Tuchanka, I immediately ordered Joker to have the _Normandy_ head there.

_“Awww. But I was looking forward to Illium, Commander. I had plans.”_

“We’re still going there, Joker. But we need to make a detour.”

I heard the sigh over the comm. _“Fine. I guess I’ll take us to Tuchanka then. Nothing redeeming there. Not a lot of pretty asari to look at._”

“I’ll find you a krogan wife if you’re not careful, Joker.”

I heard his cry of alarm. _“What the…? You ever seen one before?”_

“Nope, but I can’t imagine they’ll be much different to the males. So, get us to Tuchanka quick smart, then you can do what you want on Illium. Unless you want Omega and some asari titties in your face?”

_“What do you think I’m doing on Illium, Commander? Just a better class of asari. More expensive though. Anyway, you’re looking at just under two days back to Tuchanka from where we are._”

“No problem, Joker. We do this then we hit Illium for a last hurrah.”

Walking back to the laboratory, I did stop by Kelly, standing behind her as I gave her a soft kiss on the cheek, earning an immediate smile, before I ran my hand around her front, feeling the short hair above her sex. “Can’t get enough of you,” I whispered into her ear, “Two days to Tuchanka. I think a whole day and night in our cabin is on the cards.”

“With your cock inside me the entire time?”

“I’ll feel light headed after a couple of hours, but the thought is rather arousing.”

She turned around and kissed me. “I’m game if you are, Shepard. But just a day together will be enough for me.” I caressed her face, watching her eyes close for a moment, though the smile remained before her eyes opened. “You see her sometimes, don’t you?”

“No, I only see you, Kelly. Only you.”

“I sometimes wonder what I’ve done to deserve you.”

“Just being you. That’s all I ever want. Be yourself. Helps that you’re a redheaded bombshell, a dynamite in the sack, intelligent, caring and…” She shut me up by kissing me hard, and it was such a good kiss, I didn’t want to gently push her back. “Need to speak with Mordin, but we’ll definitely carry on where we left off.”

“Want me to work naked?”

“While I would certainly find that pleasing,” I lowered my hand to between her legs, feeling her spread them just enough for me to feel her wetness, “I think having you without trousers is enough.” I watched her face as I slid them inside her again for a moment before raising them to her mouth. She opened her eyes, meeting mine as she sucked on them again. “You are very naughty, Miss Chambers.”

She just smiled before turning around to continue her work, or at least feigning to do it, as I walked back into see Mordin, letting him know I’d asked Joker to take us to Tuchanka immediately. “Thank you, Shepard. Interested to see progress. Maelon always smart. But troubled by reports.”

“You don’t want to see a genophage?”

I was surprised the question made him pause. “Difficult to answer, Shepard. Cause of genophage invoked just response. But… effects of genophage, have seen stagnation of species. No hope for krogan under current circumstances. But galaxy cannot afford another war. End result of renewed conflict could be destruction of species entirely. Genophage allowed krogan to at least exist. But the effects on krogan psyche and longevity of genophage could be considered cruel.”

“So you don’t agree with it?”

“Some aspects, honestly, no, not entirely. You are aware of what happens?” I shook my head. Wrex had explained the basics. “Krogan females can give birth to enormous numbers. It was why the krogan were so difficult to defeat during Rebellions. So genophage limits reproductions values. Out of one thousand births, only one will survive.”

“You’re fucking kidding me?!”

“About such things I would not joke, Shepard.”

“No wonder they fucking hate you and everyone else.”

He nodded in understanding. “Have returned to Tuchanka a number of times to inspect genophage. There was a time krogan were adapting, so strain was configured to ensure krogan viability but no chance of adaptation by krogan physiology.”

“It’s gone on for, what, over a thousand years now. Any chance of it ending soon?”

“Unlikely, Shepard. An angry krogan without the genophage would likely only lead to renewed conflict. Only hope is of new strain, allowing more births per one thousand. What krogan need is a rebuilt homeworld. Unlikely offer of help accepted without genophage cure, or at least reduction. But species has stagnated while others have flourished.”

“Mordin, a thousand years ago, humans were still fighting on horseback with swords and shields, and the Industrial Revolution was still at least five hundred years ago. That’s how far we were behind the rest of the galaxy. Finding the Prothean cache on Mars allowed us to spring forward a couple of hundred years in the blink of an eye.”

“Yes, forget that humans are still so new on the galactic scene.”

“Yet look at us now! Travelling the galaxy, fighting monsters, having sex with aliens… Captain Kirk fantasies!”

“Who?”

“Never mind. Anyway, we’re on our way to Tuchanka. I’ll let Urdnot Wrex we’re on our way and he should be able to assist us.”

“Thank you, Shepard.”

Heading back outside to the CIC, I stopped and looked Kelly up and down, enjoying the sight of her bare arse on display. She obviously sensed me and turned around, lifting herself up on the desk. My eyes went straight to her pussy, the little tuft of hair but otherwise smooth. She ran a hand down her body and spread her lips, spreading her legs even further. I walked forward immediately, wrapped her legs around me, then picked her up and carried her to the elevator, hearing her giggle before I kissed her.

“You have plans, Shepard?”

“My yeoman is about to get seriously fucked.” Pushing the button for my cabin, I added, “Then I’ll cuddle her afterwards.”

“So it’s going to be all hot and sweaty but then sickly sweet afterwards?” She kissed my cheek, leaning up to my ear, “Long as we shower together afterwards.”

“Always.”

Breakfast the next morning was humorous as usual as Kelly couldn’t wipe the grin off her face, while everyone was now aware that we’d fucked in the CIC. Garrus thought it was hilarious, of course, while there were a few jokes in our direction but nothing that pissed me off. The team was now getting along well. Even Jack and Miranda managed to sit in the same room together and not trade verbal barbs.

After spending a day chatting with my team, the next morning was about preparations in regards to our arrival on Tuchanka. Grunt would head groundside, of course, as would Mordin. Figuring we would simply be searching for a salarian scientist, I didn’t have any preference as to the rest of the team, so left it open to anyone who wished to volunteer. Surprisingly, I had quite a few offer their services, leaving me to believe most simply wished to get off the ship. So I was left having to warn them about the realities of Tuchanka.

Approaching Tuchankan orbit, Mordin stood alongside me near the cockpit as the planet came into view. We’d head downstairs to board the shuttle, but I was waiting for any news from the surface, or if anyone had noticed our approach. “We are all clear, Commander,” Joker reported.

“Patrols haven’t noticed our presence?”

“If they have, they know it’s you on this ship. Guess your friends in high places have bought you a little understanding.”

I snorted. “I wouldn’t go that far but we’ve been here before. And the Illusive Man may have used his contacts or whatever else he had at his disposal. Never mind, at least we’re clear.” I glanced at the salarian next to me. “Ready for this, Mordin?”

“Ready, Shepard.”

* * *

Mordin sat quietly as always as the shuttle descended to Tuchanka. He looked around to see everyone go through their rituals. Shepard never sat down, always standing, holding one of the straps that descended from the roof. Garrus stood alongside him, the two cracking bad jokes, but it was the final calm before the inevitable storm for both. Across from him sat Thane, eyes closed, almost meditating. Next to Thane was Zaeed, who was the polar opposite of the relaxed drell next to him. And next to Mordin was, of all people, Jack. She simply wanted off the ship for a little while and Shepard didn’t say no.

Everyone stood at the shuttle set down. Shepard had warned to step off without a weapon. Urdnot Wrex was aware of their arrival but the krogan didn’t an excuse to shoot first and ask questions later. In addition to that, the presence of Garrus would be barely be tolerated. Shepard had wondered how the presence of Mordin would be tolerated.

They found out as soon as the shuttle door opened and Shepard stepped off, Mordin the fourth. Within seconds, every krogan around them was armed with itchy trigger fingers ready to start blasting. Shepard simply glanced at Garrus. “Friendly krogan welcome as always, eh, Garrus?”

“Well, considering who I am and then there’s Mordin, no surprise I guess…”

“Many armed krogan. Problematic, Shepard.”

Shepard glanced at him and grinned. “Bah, this is nothing, Mordin.” He turned away, looking at the krogan he assumed was in charge. “Right, so obviously we have a stand-off and I don’t particularly want to be short, nor do my team, I’m sure. Urdnot Wrex knows we are arriving. Why don’t you toddle off and let him know we’re here?”

All weapons were then pointed at Mordin. “No salarians.”

“Look, chump cheeks. Wrex knows Mordin is coming too. So his presence is being tolerated, at the very least.”

The krogan snorted, not convinced. “Wait here, human. I will radio and request clarification.” As he turned to communicate, the rest of the krogan watched the small team carefully. Shepard appeared relaxed as always, chatting away with Garrus. Thane stood, arms loose at his sides, though Mordin could read that he would leap into action without hesitation. Jack leaned back against the shuttle, cleaning her fingernails with the tip of a knife. Mordin tried not to look around too much but he felt most of the hateful glares being sent in his direction.

“You speak the truth, human. You and your team may pass. I would suggest the _salarian_ not walk too far away,” the krogan stated upon his return.

Mordin had been to Tuchanka before though this was before Urdnot Wrex has started his conquest of the planet. Though sizable, his influence still depended on the co-operation of smaller clans, but it was clear he already had the respect of many krogan. Otherwise, the planet was nothing but a wasteland. Any progress the krogan had made a species and civilisation was now a millennia and more in the past. Nothing but crumbling ruins now surrounded them. He knew how long the genophage had lasted, of course. As did most krogan.

Shepard seemed relatively unperturbed by the welcome, though no doubt noticed the hostility at seeing both a turian and a salarian in his ground team. “Is this sort of welcome usual?” Thane did ask.

“Salarians? We will generally not inform the krogan of our presence when working.”

“But you have visited before?”

“More than once. Working on genophage.”

“Ah, I see.” Thane paused a moment. “Well, good that you are armed, Mordin. I have a feeling weaponry might come in handy eventually.”

“We’re with Shepard. Of course someone is going to shoot at us eventually,” Jack joked behind them.

The centre of Clan Urdnot was dominated by the krogan on his stone throne, flanked by numerous warriors, his inner-circle and most trusted advisors. Wrex appeared pleased to see his human friend, Mordin watching as the two shook hands, and the depth of warmth as he greeted Garrus was a surprise, though he was aware the three had worked together previously.

“This the salarian?” Wrex asked Shepard.

“Aye. Urdnot Wrex, meet Professor Mordin Solus. He’s here in regards to the message I sent you earlier.”

Mordin dipped his head in respect. Wrex looked him up and down a couple of times before sitting and relaxing in his throne. “Doing you a hell of a favour here, Shepard. My warriors won’t be happy a salarian is currently standing before me. At least Garrus proved to have a quad while we took on Saren.” Wrex then looked at him again, and while appearing relaxed, he knew the krogan could kill him within three seconds if riled to anger. “You worked on the genophage?”

“Yes.”

Mordin figured honesty the best policy, but no point divulging more information than necessary. “And you’re here because?”

“A partner I worked with has been kidnapped. Believed to be Clan Weyrloc.”

“And I’m helping you now because?”

“It’s possible my colleague, Maelon, might be working on a cure.”

That definitely grabbed the attention of the krogan leader. “Hmmm. Interesting news. On one hand, a cure for the genophage is what all of us are fighting for in Clan Urdnot. But Clan Weyrloc discovering the cure? That I will not stand for."

"Why not?" Mordin asked, unable to hold back his curiosity.

"The leader of Clan Weyrloc is also the leader of the Blood Pack. I will not have a scumbag like that being responsible for the possible cure of the genophage. But... Do you honestly believe he's looking for a cure?"

"Unsure. Our work on the genophage was not regarding a cure. Though possible to rework current strain for viable cure. But work would take more than one man. Many experiments. Plenty of credits. A complete laboratory. And… Also many female test subjects."

"We need to find him, Wrex," Shepard added, "If he has research into a cure, it's certainly something we, being you and I, would like to get our hands on. Personally, I don't think it's possible they'd have one completed so quickly. And I certainly wouldn't trust any other clan except your own that the genophage would be cured in the pursuit of peace.”

Wrex stood up and gestured for everyone to follow him. Once again, Mordin felt glares in his direction as they ended up in an area where there were more krogan soldiers than he could count. The weaponry on display would have been awe inspiring to some, and a fleet of tomkahs suggested that Clan Urdnot as least had manoeuvrability when it came to heading into war.

Wrex introduced his chief scout, who was able to explain the location of Clan Weyrloc. The centre was closer than he expected, only fifty or so kilometres away. “How are they so close?” Shepard wondered.

“I tolerate their presence. And it helps having the leader of the Blood Pack as a somewhat ally. While I am forced to remain on Tuchanka to oversee progress, I can keep myself abreast of the galactic situation thanks to Blood Pack mercenaries. Many have given their allegiance to myself before joining the Blood Pack.”

Shepard smirked. “Hoping to take it over one day?”

Wrex returned a keen eye. “Maybe sooner than later, Shepard.” The group gathered around a map of the area. “Okay, Shepard. Weyrloc will be dug in. If this Maelon is attached to them, they won’t want him falling into our hands, so he’s going to be right in the middle. Weyrloc have numbers but lack our firepower. So I’m willing to assist.”

“How?”

“Your small team can easily infiltrate. We’ll draw most of their forces away. We’ll bomb them with artillery and then flank them, hopefully leaving a way open for you to do what you need to do.”

“So you’re declaring war?”

That made Wrex bellow with laughter. “We’re always at war with each other, Shepard. As I said, Weyrloc was merely tolerated. Now I have the perfect excuse to wipe out their leadership and amalgamate the remains of the clan into mine.”

“Works for me,” Shepard stated, “Mordin?”

“All that matters is finding Maelon. Want to know what he’s been up to. Working on genophage cure without oversight… troubling.”

Shepard and Wrex spent time hammering out the details, long enough that it was suggested they move out the next day. That meant returning to the _Normandy_ for the evening. The first thing nearly all of them did when returning was take a shower, though even Mordin was amused when getting off at the CIC that Shepard picked up Kelly, flung her over his shoulder, and carried her back to the elevator. “I don’t shower alone,” he said, looking at Mordin with a grin.

“Am I getting fucked in or after the shower?” Kelly asked in between her giggles.

“If you’re lucky, Miss Chambers, it’ll be both.” Shepard winked at him. “Have fun, Mordin.”

The salarian could only chuckle as the doors shut. He’d been witness to the growing relationship between the pair. It was obvious they had a lot of fun together, that Kelly was head over heels in love with him, while Shepard definitely loved her in return… though he still felt the need to enjoy sex with others. Mordin didn’t quite understand, thinking that most humans believed in monogamy. But having died, perhaps Shepard wanted to enjoy all that life had to bring.

Heading downstairs for the evening meal, there was little surprise that Shepard and Kelly didn’t join them, no doubt enjoying dinner upstairs or not bothering to eat at all. While he was an intensely private person, and happy in his own company, Mordin always attended the breakfast and dinner service, as he enjoyed listening into other conversations. The relationships that formed were interesting. It was obvious that Miranda and Jacob were intimate at times. Zaeed and Jack seemed to be close, though not in a physical sense. Thane and Garrus had struck up a friendship of sorts. Tali and Kasumi were thick as thieves, rather appropriate considering the latter. Mordin wasn’t particularly close to anyone. Considering the short life of a salarian, how their society functioned, and what he’d done during his life, he found most friendships fleeting at best.

Due to how his mind worked, he found surviving on minimal sleep easily, so was always the first up in the morning, working away in his laboratory. He never tried to explain what he was doing to anyone else. Most of the science would have been incomprehensible even to the sharpest minds in other species. The one thing salarians had always excelled in was the sciences. It was what generally gave them an edge over any erstwhile enemies. It was their science that started the genophage, after all.

If Mordin was honest, he did wonder if it had gone on long enough. The krogan species had stagnated, had next to no hope. Yet his work on Tuchanka had been to ensure it was still working properly. Only Shepard knew the truth of why he’d visited previously. But he’d seen the effects of the genophage with his own eyes. All these years later, it was still something he did find himself thinking about often. And that left him thinking about Maelon. Had he been effected so much that he was now looking for a cure? It seemed a misguided venture, and he doubted his protégé would have the capability of formulating a cure.

After breakfast, he joined the same team as before, heading toward the planet. Their arrival was smoother than the day before and there was no delay heading towards the fleet of tomkahs waiting to leave. Wrex and Shepard shared a final conference to agree on what happened before he ordered everyone to load up.

The drive to the Weyrloc base was bumpy as all hell, or that’s what Shepard vocalised on the way. Mordin strapped himself in as the driver didn’t seem to know what a brake pedal was, seeming to just floor the accelerator, come what may. Even Shepard, who rarely if ever sat down in the shuttle, was strapped in across from him. “Would like to at least get there alive,” he muttered through gritted teeth.

The small team made it in one piece, Shepard immediately contacting Wrex in regards to the bombardment and attack. Mordin didn’t listen into the conversation, focusing on his weapon and keying commands into his omni-tool in preparation for their own attack. He rarely saw action on the ground with Shepard and his team, knowing he was better suited to work in the laboratory.

Once the bombardment started, the noise was tremendous, and in the near distance, they could see the buildings and bunkers that made up the outskirts of the base of Clan Weyrloc being pummelled. That was the signal for Shepard to gesture for his small team to move.

It had been a good plan but they still met fierce resistance, particularly from those dressed in the red of the Blood Pack. Which meant the unusual idea of fighting vorcha on the homeworld of the krogan. Grunt muttered it simply showed the weakness of Clan Weyrloc, the fact they needed outsiders, or as Grunt called them, the vermin that were vorcha to bolster their numbers.

Infiltrating the heart of the base wasn’t particularly difficult due to the numbers being drawn off thanks to Wrex and his troops really hammering them. Mordin was amused to see Shepard and Grunt trade off on who was more insane. Grunt was what he considered a typical krogan, charging forward recklessly. But with his biotic strengths, Shepard lit up the battlefield, shotgun blasting as he flashed from point to point.

The number of vorcha seemed almost endless at times, but they died easily. They had few tactics except rushing forward, relying on overwhelming numbers. But with Grunt and Shepard working almost in tandem, they wilted rather easily. He was under the impression the vorcha were being sent out first to weaken their squad before they met the remains of the krogan forces in the base.

What none of them expected to find were bodies. Or, at least, bodies other than krogan. Mordin was still assessing what had brought Maelon to Tuchanka and figured he’d either come of his own volition or been kidnapped, but at the heat was the genophage. But finding a human body? Unexpected.

He walked forward, dropping to one knee, gently moving the body onto its back before he opened his omni-tool, using one of many medical programs he had available to assess the body and any injuries the human may have suffered. "Since when are humans found on Tuchanka?" he heard Zaeed ask rhetorically.

"So, what do you think?" Shepard asked, taking a knee beside him.

Mordin closed the omni-tool program and decided it would be best to just show him. He grabbed an arm of the human, rolling up the long sleeve on the right arm, making a gesture to the wrist. "Bruising. Restraint marks. He was held down while…" He gestured up the forearm. "Track marks. Repeated injections."

"Yeah, but why, Mordin?”

"Simple. This human was experimented on. Within body, signs of tumours on glands. Change to hormone levels. No doubt regarding effectiveness of genophage."

"Okay, same question again, Mordin. Why? Why use a human?"

"Oh. Humans are most genetically diverse group in galaxy. Make best test subjects. More variables, peaks and valleys. Not just in appearances. Best example would be intelligence."

"You ever test on us, Mordin?" Grunt asked. He hadn't miss the krogan's presence nearby. He didn't think anything would happen. He wasn't unnerved by it. But still…

"Tests on krogan unnecessary. Use of cloning and simple simulations. Any real-live testing was completed using varren."

"Varren?" Mordin just nodded a reply, figuring the krogan wouldn't really understand any reason why, strange enough as it was that some krogan kept them as pets.

"You think Maelon did this, Mordin?" Shepard asked, still focused on the body.

"In all probability, yes."

"He'd better not have done this willingly," Shepard muttered darkly as the pair stood up. "You never used humans, right Mordin?"

"Of course not! Using humans sloppy. Lack of thought. Anyway, would never test on any race capable of calculus."

"Calculus?" Garrus asked, surprised.

"Of course."

Mordin would never admit to being slightly unnerved at finding human subjects. What didn’t help was the fact he was on a Cerberus vessel, but no-one on the ground was a loyalist, so he figured Shepard and the rest would keep the fact to themselves. But it was a moment of discomfort he could have done without.

Infiltration continued, wiping out more vorcha, though their numbers had now thinned, and it was obvious they were approaching or had even entered the ruins of a hospital. There were enough ruins around to suggest it had once been a large, intimidating building. No wonder even krogan hospitals had been a sign of strength and power.

A showdown of sorts was always expected regarding these sort of missions, though when passing through a door and being confronted by half a dozen armed, angry krogan, he did wonder if this was when they’d bite the dust. The krogan bellowed about speaking on behalf of Clan Weyrloc and Weyrloc Guld. He spoke about plans to first take over Tuchanka and then set the krogan on a path of destruction. Mordin simply shook his head while the sound of laughter echoed around, glancing to see Shepard almost slapping his knee.

“Something funny, human?” the krogan asked, pissed off at the reaction.

“Yes. Everything you just said.”

Shepard then fired, missing the krogan. Mordin could see exactly what he’d done, as did the others. The krogan taunted Shepard, who simply smirked before there was an explosion, the speak of Clan Weyrloc and most of his underlings being enveloped in fire.

As they moved deeper into the building, the sound of the bombardment ending, left thinking that Wrex would now be attacking in force, Shepard led his squad through the maze of ruins. As they moved, there was no missing the bodies they found on gurneys. Mordin would stop every so often and check. This was when his work on the genophage hit the hardest. Before arriving on Tuchanka, it had only ever been about numbers and data. It was… impersonal. He never saw the effects.

Arriving on Tuchanka, that’s when he did see it with his own eyes for the first time. The lack of hope. The krogan mothers giving birth to dead children. One in a thousand… There was a reason why. The Rebellions had brought the galaxy to its knees. The rate of krogan reproduction meant another war was inevitable. The Council agreed it must not happen again. The krogan had to be stopped.

But seeing the cost with his own eyes… He would admit part of him changed. How could it not, seeing the real cost of what was done. For more than a thousand years, the krogan had kept relatively stable numbers, but all one had to do was look around Tuchanka to see they were alone and without hope. He thought the work he had done was for a good cause. Now? In those quiet moments, he couldn’t help think…

Grunt grumbled to himself as they passed through each room, more bodies. All were female. All had signs of experimentation. All had died, no doubt hoping for a cure. And he had to see.

Pulling back a white sheet, he opened his omni-tool and scanned. “Female. No more than two hundred years old. Genophage indicators. Not cured. Numerous tumours, results of experimentation." He gestured towards one of the arms. "No restraint marks." He took another breath. "Volunteer," he added quietly.

“Mordin?”

He took a deep breath. “I'm responsible. My data. My work."

"How did she die?" Grunt asked.

"Tumours caused by experiments. Multi-system failure. Never had a chance. Hope of a cure pointless."

"Pointless? Her people are dying, Mordin," Shepard stated. He glanced at the human. He wasn’t sure if the man wanted a cure, but the friendship between he and Wrex was obvious. Maybe that explained his desire for a possible cure.

"Didn't think dead krogan would bother you at all, Mordin," Grunt added. He met the stare, hearing the menace in the tone.

"Never wanted this," he replied, gesturing to the gurney, "Never experimented on live krogan."

"The krogan are obviously desperate enough for a cure to put themselves through this," Shepard stated.

He took another breath before he covered the body with the sheet. "Never wanted this, Shepard. Goal of genophage was to stabilise population. Prevent another galactic war. This," he gestured to the now covered body, "Is simply a pointless waste." A sigh. "Hate to see it. Used to just numbers. Data."

"But you don't appear shocked. You've been to Tuchanka to see the results?"

"I have, Shepard. Once a year. My work. My responsibility. Had to see. Always saw big picture. No, need to see the little picture."

Shepard was silent before stating, “That explains Omega.”

Mordin simply nodded. Raising a hand, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Rest, young mother. Find your gods. Find someplace better.

From untruth lead us to truth.

From darkness lead us to light.

From death lead us to immortality."

He turned to exit the room, noticing Shepard was waiting for him alone. Shepard remained silent, but raised an eyebrow, obviously curious at his words. "Wheel of life, Shepard. Short lifespan for salarian leaves much for contemplation. There has to be something more than this." He gestured around the room. "And more than that."

They made short work of the rest of the krogan, Shepard and Grunt continuing their double act. Vorcha, krogan and varren would have been intimidating to others, but the small team had dealt with all that before. In the end, they did find Weyrloc Guld, surrounded by his most loyal soldiers. There was no talk of standing down nor surrender. Weyrloc bellowed about making the krogan great again and revenge on the rest of the galaxy. That just hardened their resolve to kill the bastard. Despite their greater number, his soldiers died first before Weyrloc was put to death by Grunt.

Then they found Maelon, and it was clear from the moment they walked into the laboratory that he was no prisoner. He had come willingly to Tuchanka. He was responsible for the experiments. And he had willingly joined with Weyrloc Guld to help end the genophage.

Mordin certainly had plenty of questions for his protégé. Each one was answered with more bitterness and anger in his tone than that last. He was left believing Maelon despised Mordin and maybe even hated his own people for what had been done. They had both been witness to the same things on Tuchanka.

Mordin would normally have found what they had found unforgivable, an instant death sentence, but seeing the agitation and desperation in his young protégé, he could find himself even understanding why Maelon had taken the decisions he had, left with no doubt that each krogan female had willingly submitted to whatever he’d done with hope in their hearts that they would finally be free of the genophage.

He eventually took a seat and lowered his head. “Mordin?” Shepard asked.

“His methods are barbaric, Shepard. Nothing but barbaric. Rudimentary experimentation. Live subjects. But… I understand to a point.”

“Good, because while I’m putting a stop to this, I will be taking whatever data he had for now and keeping it safe. It won’t be going to Wrex. It won’t be going to Cerberus. It won’t be going to the Council. I’m giving it to someone I trust for safekeeping, and it’s best if no-one else here knows who.” He looked up as Shepard turned to Maelon. “As for you, I’m shutting you down. You came here with the best of intentions, but I can’t accept some of what you’ve done here. The fact I’ve found humans? You should be glad I don’t put a bullet in you right now. Pack your shit, Maelon. You’re done.”

“What am I to do?”

“You’re a doctor, correct?” Maelon nodded. “Then if you intend to help the krogan, treat them. No doubt they suffer all sorts of medical problems due to living on this planet. Seems everything is out to kill you. I’ll put in a good word for you with Urdnot Wrex. He is someone who also wants a cure, but he’s also someone _I _trust to hold back his people from wanting revenge should there ever be a cure.” Shepard then looked at Mordin. “Is that acceptable?” Mordin nodded. “Maelon?”

“I simply wish to help,” the young salarian stated.

Shepard called in Wrex, showing up with a small number of troops. Shepard sat the enormous krogan down and explained everything. Weyrloc was now dead, as were most of his troops. Wrex would take the remaining females for breeding, while anyone still aligned to Weyrloc would be given a choice; submit to Clan Urdnot or die. Maelon also offered to help. Considering he was a salarian on Tuchanka, Wrex did warn him that his presence wouldn’t exactly be tolerated, but he’d take help whenever it was offered.

Calling in a shuttle, Wrex walked with the team towards it a few minutes later, wishing everyone luck in regards to the upcoming journey through the Omega Four. The last thing Shepard stated was that the data was secure and would be given to a friend. Wrex knew who he meant and simply grinned.

Back on the _Normandy_, everyone needed a wash as they were covered in a thin layer of dust and grime, even after wearing armour. He was in his laboratory a couple of hours later when Shepard walked in, handing over an OSD without a word. Mordin picked it up and looked at the Commander. “What is it?”

“The data.”

“Why give it to me?”

“Run your eye over it. See if Maelon was headed down the right path.”

“And then?”

“Whatever you wish, Mordin. Destroy it if you wish. Keep it if you think it’s worthwhile. I made a copy and sent that off to my friend for safekeeping. But you’re a smart cookie, so I’m figuring you’ll figure it out eventually.”

He nodded and Shepard turned to walk away. “I’m responsible,” he stated, causing Shepard to stop and turn around, “I led the STG team onto Tuchanka each time. The krogan were starting to almost cure themselves naturally. I helped build the new strain to prevent that. What Maelon said, about blood on our hands… Is he right?”

“What do you think?”

He took a deep breath. “For once, Shepard, I don’t know. Seeing the cost, it is increasingly hard to justify. Actions at the time were necessary. But one thousand years later? It makes me ponder.”

“Well, at least we put an end to those experiments, Mordin. What about Maelon?”

“He’s a good kid. Misguided. But has heart. Should have realised he’d gone willingly.”

“Well, at least it’s sorted. Ready for the Omega Four?”

“Ready, Shepard. Should be quite the adventure.”


	47. A Last Blowout

The entire crew except Joker stood before me as I took position near the door. We’d just arrived on Illium for our last hurrah before heading off for the Omega Four. Once we left, there would be no deviations. Straight for the relay and the Collector homeworld. Whether we made it back or not, I still wasn’t sure. The crew was ready. The ship was ready. I was ready. But everyone deserved at least a last day or two of peace before the possible end. Though I didn’t want to die, and I didn’t want anyone else to die, there was a possibility this would be a one-way trip, for any number of reasons.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” I warned, “I don’t want to be bailing any of you out of jail or worse. Yes, go out, get drunk, eat your fill, get laid if you want. But be back on this ship in forty-eight hours’ time. And I’d better not have to send our reminders either.”

“Yes, sir,” the crew stated in unison.

I stood back and gestured to the open door. “Good. Like to keep things short and simple. Go and enjoy yourselves otherwise and I’ll see most of you shortly.”

Garrus was one of the first to leave, as he’d organised transport for Chloe, and he knew she’d be waiting for him at the hotel he’d booked for them. Grunt wandered off, stating he’d head for a place that would cater to his needs regarding appetite for food and sex. Thane suggested he would walk the parks, seeking peace and quiet, Samara joining him, aware of the friendship forged due to their shared love for meditation. Miranda and Jacob walked off together, and I couldn’t help smirk as they did. “You’re going to be busy enough, Shepard. Jacob and I can have our own fun,” she stated.

“Well, Jacob is a lucky man. No offers for a third man to join in?”

“If you’re inclined to pop around, you can fuck my arse again if you want.”

Jacob just met my eyes and started to laugh. “I do like this new side to her, Shepard.”

“So do I. It’s refreshing. You guys have fun.”

Zaeed and Jack headed out next, Jack insisting it wasn’t what it looked like. “We’re going to drink and gamble,” she stated.

“Yeah, just better not die before I can spend all the creds I’m going to win,” the grizzled mercenary added.

“And you’ve got plenty of company, Shepard.”

“You can always pop around if you want, Jack. I’m sure someone will give you attention.”

“I’ll think about it, Shepard. But I’m in a good place. Drinking and gambling is a fun way to spend a day.”

Mordin said he’d head out but would likely end up back on the ship, continuing to work, stating he didn’t particularly do relaxation. I didn’t mind either way, long as he was happy to spend his last days this side of the Omega Four doing what he wanted. Tali was one of the last to walk off, happily announcing that Reegar would be arriving soon, and that she would be spending all her time with him. I knew she was already looking forward to the mission being over, so my intention was to do anything to ensure she made it back alive.

The ship was now relatively deserted. Joker was still in his chair though would be departing soon enough. That left me with Kelly and Kasumi, who were waiting for me by the galaxy map. “So it’s us two and Shiala, with Emily and Gianna when the former arrives from the Citadel?” Kelly asked.

“Correct. Liara can’t make it. She’s far too busy with her own things. She now rents out her apartment on short term leases, Shiala getting first priority whenever she’s on Illium, of course. So we have it for the next two nights to ourselves.”

“Five women, Shepard. Can you handle that?” Kasumi asked, humour evident in her tone.

“Well, I’m thinking there’s going to be a lot of cunni… pussy eating. Correct?”

Kelly and Kasumi shared a glance. “Though I think we’d all much prefer something else, I’m not going to turn down eating or having my pussy eaten,” Kelly replied.

“I’ll just grab my bag and then we can head out. There is a roster where around three people are unlucky enough to remain, though their shifts are short. Mordin will be on here eventually. Don’t think Chakwas is doing much either.”

“Maybe you should invite her, Shepard?” Kelly wondered. The thought made me chuckle. “You’ve slept with her, right?”

“I have. Not sure she’d be interested in another weekend of group sex.”

“Fine. I’ll ask her then. EDI, can you connect me to the med-bay?”

_“At once, Miss Chambers. Connection established.”_

“Karin, it’s Kelly. We’re about to head out for the weekend and we were wondering if you’d like to join us for shore leave?”

There was silence for a few seconds. “_I’d be delighted, Kelly. Does it involve a certain CO of this vessel?”_

“That is does, Karin. Him and now six women, if we include yourself.”

_“I’ll pack a bag and meet you upstairs in ten minutes.”_

Kelly clicked off the link, turned to me and smiled. “My bag is next to yours on the bed, Shepard.”

Ten minutes later, I was walking out of the ship with Kelly, Kasumi and Chakwas, no surprise that Shiala was already waiting for us at the docks, dropping the bags so I could give her a hug and one hell of a kiss, long enough that Kasumi jokingly cleared her throat and suggested we had plenty of time later.

Arriving at Liara’s apartment a few minutes later, Shiala offered us a drink as I dumped our bags in the main bedroom. “Heard from Gianna?” I asked.

“She’ll be here in a couple of hours, Shepard. While she would have loved meeting you at the docks, she does have responsibilities and all.”

“Emily’s ship should arrive early this evening,” I said.

Taking at seat on one of the lounges, Shiala sat next to me and it took her all of two minutes for her to start kissing me, hot and heavy immediately, the suggestion clear about what she wanted, particularly when one of her hands went to my crotch. I felt another hand undo the buckle and belt, glancing to see Kelly smile at me. “I think she might need a little assistance getting your cock free,” she explained, “I’m assuming you’re going to blow him, Shiala?”

She broke the kiss to exclaim quietly, “Goddess, yes.”

Kicking off my boots and shuffling so I could lower my trousers and underwear, my shirt was quickly removed, slightly amused by the fact I was naked while the rest were dressed. Chakwas was already giving me the eye, whispering to Kasumi, as Shiala wasted no time bending down to swallow my cock, earning a groan from me as her head was quickly bobbing up and down. I looked at Kelly and ordered her to get naked immediately. The speed at which she undressed caused plenty of chuckles as I spent little time focusing on her upper chest area, otherwise known as her breasts.

Glancing across the room, I added, “You two should get naked too.”

Shiala was peeling off her clothes while blowing me, eventually leaving Kelly alone as I ran a hand down Shiala’s back, tickling her arsehole, which made her giggle while blowing me, before running a finger down her wet slit. “Oh, does sucking my cock turn you on, Shiala?”

She looked up and smiled. “Goddess, yes, Shepard.”

I suggested there could be an improvement on that, getting up and lying on the floor, Shiala recognised immediately what I was doing as she lowered her mouth to my cock and her pussy to mine. Kelly joined in with me, enjoying Shiala’s pussy. Kasumi and Chakwas eventually joined in, Kasumi enjoying Shiala while Chakwas asked if she could take over from Shiala. I groaned loudly when Chakwas swallowed my length with ease and proved once again how talented she was.

“Think he’s close now,” Kelly joked.

Even with Shiala half sat on my face, I could still exclaim, “Fuck, she’s good.”

Shiala came and she came hard. Enough that she had to roll off me and lie to the side. Kelly immediately sat on my face, looking up as she looked down at me. “Make me cum, Shepard.”

“Me next,” Kasumi added.

While I did try to focus on Kelly, Chakwas was simply too good and it wasn’t long before she had me groaning loudly. I muffled a warning while eating Kelly’s pussy that I was close, but that just urged Chakwas on and she eventually took a load in the mouth. It was good enough that I simply had to lie back for a couple of minutes before I suggested returning the favour to her would be appropriate. Chakwas insisted I finish Kelly first, so I wrapped each arm around a thigh and went to town on her. I made her cum more than once, of course, before she had to roll off me as well.

Then I looked at Chakwas, making her blush as she lay back, head resting on a pillow, as she spread her legs, showing me her bald, wet pussy. “I keep it shaved nowadays, just in case,” she admitted.

“Karin, I’m thinking we need to make this a semi-permanent thing.”

“Just trying to prevent any awkwardness that may arise, Shepard.”

“Karin, you join us upstairs, you’ll be getting pussy and cock. Trust me,” Kelly murmured.

I didn’t just focus on her pussy, of course. I devoured her body, so by the time I did focus on what lay between her legs, her first orgasm was within a couple of minutes, and once again, I gave more than one before she needed to cry enough. As I’ve always said, it’s not fun if we don’t all cum. I’d had one, and though I was relatively rock hard, I wouldn’t again anytime soon.

Finally, it was time to focus on Kasumi. Kelly joined in for that, Kasumi getting on hands and knees as I ate her out, Kasumi eating out Kelly at the same time. Shiala liked the look of this and eventually sat on Kelly’s face. Chakwas amused me by sitting back on the lounge, glass of wine in one hand, fingers of her other hand feelings herself up. It was quite the show. I couldn’t help chuckle, as it was already turning into an orgy, with Emily and Gianna still to arrive. I’m sure they wouldn’t be that surprised at what they would walk in on.

Half an hour later, everyone had had an orgasm, and I sat back on the couch, Chakwas curling up to me on one side, Shiala on the other, Kasumi and Kelly continued to eat other out as they seemed to enjoy it. I was rock hard, of course, Chakwas slowly stroking my cock, turning to kiss her occasionally. “No fucking until Emily and Gianna get here,” Shiala stated, “I think that’s only fair.”

“Oh, they’re getting their pussies eaten first, Shiala,” Kelly moaned before adding, “Right there, Kas… right there… fuck…”

“You’re getting me close yourself, Kel…”

“Okay, this is… hot,” Shiala murmured, resting her head on my shoulder, my arm wrapped around her.

“They do seem to like each other,” Chakwas added.

“Kelly loves me, definitely loves my cock, but I know she also loves eating pussy. I can’t deny what I’m watching is incredibly erotic,” I stated.

We watched, enjoying a glass of wine, until the doorbell rang. Shiala suggested I answer it, of course. Opening the door, Gianna stood there, met my eyes for a moment before moving them down my body, watching the grin form, before she dropped her bag and leapt into my arms, her mouth practically crashing into mine as I ended up back against the wall.

Carrying her back into the lounge room, I sat down as Shiala stood up to close the door and grab her bag. Gianna refused to stop kissing me as she wasted no time taking off her clothes. Once down to her underwear, she let me take off her black bra, immediately lowering my mouth to her breasts, little surprise she was already rubbing herself against my cock. “No fucking yet, Gianna,” Shiala whispered.

Chakwas and Shiala both moved as I lowered Gianna to the lounge on her back, slowly removing her underwear. She kept herself trimmed as always, and I definitely licked my lips at what was on display. “Love it when you look at me like that, Shepard,” she whispered.

“What would you like?”

“I just need you mouth where you know I want it, Shepard. I’ve been thinking about this for weeks.”

I teased her relentlessly even when eating her out. I loved her taste, constantly letting her know how much I loved it. Some women might find that embarrassing, maybe even a little corny. Gianna loved to know how much I enjoyed it. I knew she was holding back her first orgasm, I knew her well enough by now, but I didn’t mind. The more she did that, the longer I could eat her out. I did glance to see we now had a crowd, the other four simply watching me eat her out, and eventually she couldn’t hold her orgasm back any longer. “Don’t stop!” she cried out.

“Damn, he’s really going to town on her,” Kasumi stated.

“Because he loves her, Kas. And she definitely loves him,” Kelly said.

“And you’re okay with that?”

“There are three of us that he loves above all. We’re all in this room. Though I think he fancies the fuck out of you, Kasumi, and thinks the world of you, Karin. And Emily… well, I think if there was a fourth…”

I couldn’t help stop and look at Kelly. “You’re right. About time I admitted it, right?”

“Are you going to tell her?”

“In privacy.”

“Oh, we all get you in private this weekend. We all get a ‘date’. Karin, you’ll have to think of something you want to do with him for a few hours.”

Kissing up Gianna’s body, I met her eyes and she smiled. “Definitely love you though,” I whispered. All that did was make her blink rapidly for a few seconds before she turned onto her side and I could lie behind her, resting against the back of the lounge, Gianna moulding her body into mine.

Shiala grabbed a couple of bottles from the kitchen, some wine and also a harder spirit for those interested. Gianna was rather distracted by my fingers continuing to fondle her, lifting one of her legs over mine. She had been hesitant last time I had a group of girls together, but we had been messaging constantly, and she had told me that, this time, she would join in if she felt the urge. Kelly crawled over and sat on her knees in front of her. “May I touch you, Gianna?”

Gianna nodded as I removed my fingers, putting them in Kelly’s mouth, who made a moan of appreciation, before she lowered her fingers to Gianna. She gasped when two of her fingers slid inside her. Then she laughed, mentioning my cock seemed to get even harder against her. “One of my girlfriends has her fingers in another of my girlfriends. It’s… fucking hot.”

Kelly proved to be talented with her fingers, Gianna quickly moving her body against mine as Kelly definitely found that special spot inside her. Gianna distracted herself by kissing me, but it was all too much for her. “Kelly… use your mouth,” she breathed. It was a little awkward, but Kelly would always find a way, and quickly had her face buried between Gianna’s legs. And she made her cum quickly, and it must have been good, as she could take anymore. The two then shared a rather soft kiss.

“Well, I think we have another convert,” Kelly stated with humour, leaning over to kiss me, before she stood up and walked away.

“She has a great arse,” Gianna stated, to the amusement of everyone else.

Kelly just gave it a slap. “Shepard loves it. Doesn’t bury his cock in it too often, but when he does, my god, it’s the best thing ever.” She paused and added, “I have lube, Shepard.”

“Well, if that’s isn’t a suggestion,” Kasumi joked.

I leaned down towards Gianna’s ear, her leg still resting over mine, pussy exposed. I felt her up as I whispered, “How about I slide my cock inside yours?”

“Absolutely,” she whispered back.

“Karin?” Kelly asked, “Sounds like we could all be getting fucked in the arse.”

“I’m game if he is.”

I could only look at her wide-eyed as Kasumi added, “Well, if you all are, count me in.”

“Well, Shepard, sounds like you might be having a night of anal sex if you play your cards right,” Kelly stated.

Gianna eventually had to move, though only so far as to sit on her knees on the ground as I sat up, her head immediately going between my legs, my cock into her mouth, and she took her sweet time blowing me. I focused on what she was doing as the others sat back and simply watched, all of them masturbating at the same time, simply so I could watch. Watching Chakwas spread her legs wide and practically finger fuck herself was something I never thought I’d actually see.

Running my fingers through her hair, I could only whisper Gianna’s name as she started to pick up the pace. I had a feeling she was also putting on a show for the others, but she’d never hesitated going down on me. When I warned her I was getting close, she simply looked up into my eyes and I could see the smile. “You sure?”

Watching my cock pop free, she purred, “Shepard, I’m swallowing whatever you give me.”

“If there is a god, I can only thank Him for you.”

Gianna swallowed my load a couple of minutes later, and that caused my cock to finally deflate enough that Gianna could sit on my lap and not have to worry about it sliding inside her. Resting against my chest, I simply cuddled her as I was joined by the others to either side. “Well, now I know how a king or emperor must have felt,” I joked.

Emily arrived an hour later. I opened the door again, completely naked. She stepped in the door, kicked it shut behind her, dumped her bag on the ground, then fell to her knees immediately. “Um, Emily…”

“Shut up,” she said before running her tongue up my shaft. “This is quite the surprise, Shepard.”

“Sure you don’t want…”

“I love blowing you like this, Shepard. Don’t you love me on my knees like this?”

“Fucking hell, Shepard. Do you train your women or something?” Kelly wondered. I just gave her a look. “Yes, I know, I know. I’m in that position all the time.”

“And it’s one of the many reasons I love you, Miss Chambers.” I looked back at Emily, whose head was now bobbing up and down. “And you are extremely talented yourself, Miss Wong.”

“I want a load right now, Shepard,” she replied, wasting no time starting to strip, Shiala appearing to my side to pick up her bag and take it into the room. Running my hand through Emily’s hair, I was soon thrusting, not too hard, but she was bloody good, and I was surprised my body was suggesting it could release another load quite quickly. “On my face, Shepard,” she said, stopping for a moment.

“Seriously?”

“Yes. I’m sure I’ll have the chance to swallow a load properly. I want it on my face.”

She got her wish ten minutes later, stroking myself to another climax, covering her face in white streaks. She laughed away until I was empty, watching as she immediately stood up, looking for a mirror. Once she found one, she smiled and snapped a picture of herself, before turning back to the group, taking a seat and using a couple of fingers to clean her face. Shiala handed her a towel at the same time to help.

I collapsed onto an armchair, feeling a little tired, having already lost track of the loads I’d dropped. The six girls sat together on two of the lounges, all of them naked. If there was a god, he had truly blessed me. Chakwas might have been older by at least twenty years but she was just as gorgeous as the rest of them. The six were busy chatting between themselves as I relaxed, though eventually they all fell silent and looked at me. “What are you smiling about?” Kelly asked, ever so sweetly.

“I am one hell of a lucky man. Not sure what I’ve done to deserve having you six with me like this.”

“Well, just keep being you, Shepard. I think that’s all you need to do. Now, we’ve already agreed something. Kasumi, Karin and I get to see you all the time, and I share a bed with you nearly every night. So, tonight, you will be sleeping with Shiala alone, tomorrow night is Emily, then Gianna is the final night. Tomorrow, you have three dates, the day after, the same. When we’re here, there will be no clothing required and while we are all here for you, I’m sure you’ve figured out we’re going have fun together as well.”

“Sounds good to me, Kelly.”

“You want to fuck now?”

I couldn’t help chuckle at such a blunt question. “I’m always up for it, Kelly. The question is who wants to be with me first.”

All eyes turned to Gianna, who blushed slightly at the attention. But she stood up and strode across the room towards me, resting a knee to either side of me as she leaned down to kiss me. I didn’t need to shuffle much to ensure my cock slid inside her, both of us making noises of contentment as I found myself buried. “Missed this… missed you,” she breathed.

“I love you,” I whispered back. The smile she returned upon hearing those words…

As we made love, I did hear the conversation taking place. “So, Karin, when were you last with a woman properly?” Kelly asked.

“It has been a long time, Kelly. Shepard was the first man I’d been with in a number of years.”

“Ever been with an asari?” Shiala wondered.

“No. Never been with a non-human.”

“Why don’t we cross off two things then, Karin. I’ll show your pussy some attention while you can give Shiala yours.”

I heard Chakwas chuckle. “Oh my, what have I got myself in for here?” She paused before adding, “Shall we adjourn to one of the bedrooms. A comfortable bed would be better than the floor.”

“I think we should all go, girls. Give Shepard and Gianna a little privacy.”

I don’t think Gianna was paying them any attention, her sole focus being me. I glanced to see the five disappeared into one of the other bedrooms, so once we were alone, I picked her up and carried her into one of the other bedrooms, lying back and shuffling together before she leaned down to kiss me again. “Missed you so much, Shepard,” she whispered.

“I’d visit more often but… you know how it is…”

“When you come back…”

“First stop is here. And I’ll be staying a while.”

“You’ll stay with me?”

“Of course.”

“Kelly is always invited. So is Shiala. I know you feel the same for them as you do me.” She paused before adding, “Emily too. I know how she feels, at least. Looks like Kasumi might really like you too.”

“Yeah, it… could get awkward…”

Gianna simply rested her hands on my chest and started to ride me faster. “Never. This is simply fantastic, Shepard.”

Conversation ceased as we focused on lovemaking, hands running and down bodies, plenty of kissing and caressing, and the sounds that Gianna Parasini made when she was close to climax, and the better noises when she reached her climax. And, as always, one was never enough. She had another one a little later before I finally moved my hands down to her arse, earning a knowing grin, as I started to react to her movements. For the last couple of minutes, Miss Parasini was pounded hard, something she thoroughly enjoyed. I was amazed I was able to cum again, but that’s what I did, Gianna ensuring I was buried inside her as I did.

After we’d both recovered, she slid off me as we lay on our sides, looking at each other, her hand gently caressing my face. “So I got you first, did I?”

“Well, we’ve obviously done a lot except the actual sex. Kelly’s idea. Lots of blowjobs and the eating of pussy, not just by me, but she said no sex until Emily arrived. And as for you being first, well, I think everyone would know why.”

“I’m just glad I get you the last night, Shepard. I’m not sure if I want a night full of sex or… I don’t know, something a little more romantic.”

“Whatever you want, Gianna.”

“I’ll give it some thought.”

My stomach was grumbling so I suggested we get up and find some food. Walking by the third bedroom, the sight was something to behind. Chakwas was on her back, Shiala sat on her face, while Kelly was eating out Chakwas. Behind Kelly, Kasumi was on her back, eating out Kelly, while Emily was eating out Kasumi at the same time. Gianna and I watched for a couple of minutes before I cleared my throat. “Girls, are you hungry for something other than pussy?”

Kelly lifted her head. “Well, I guess Karin has cum enough by now.”

“Enough? Kelly, my heartbeat is going crazy here!”

Kelly glanced back. “And you’re fucking talented, Kasumi. My god, we’re going to have some fun once we’re back from the Omega Four.”

“I live to give, Kelly. And Emily, you have quite the tongue on you as well.”

“I think Karin needs to spend time eating pussy as she’s made me cum more than once,” Shiala added.

Gianna just glanced at me and laughed. “My god, Shepard, what do we have here?”

Shiala was prepared, of course, amused that she, Emily and Kasumi put together ingredients and soon had plenty of food cooking, enough not just for dinner that evening but leftovers for the next couple of days if any of us got peckish. As they cooked, the rest of us sat in the lounge and it was no surprise Kelly wanted me. So I bent her over the couch and just pounded her. I didn’t think I’d cum again anytime soon, so focused on just giving it to her, eventually resting hands on her shoulders and really giving it to her. She loved every second. Karin and Gianna sat to either side on the lounge as Kelly had her face almost buried on the cushion. “Fuck yes, Shepard!” she groaned.

We fucked until dinner was ready. By then, Kelly was riding me as always, covered in sweat as she came time and again. By the time Shiala announced it was on the dinner, Kelly was exhausted. “I’ve cum so much already today,” she muttered as she stood up off me, her legs like jelly, enough that I almost had to carry her across the room to the dining table.

Having eaten our fill, we spent the rest of the night relaxing, the energy of the first few hours giving way to general conversation, a few drinks, and plenty of laughter. Everyone remained naked but it wasn’t erotic, it was actually rather liberating. I could look around and see six beautiful women and simply appreciate what I could see without feeling an urge to be physical with them.

Shiala eventually took me by the hand, leading me to her room, the other five calling out ‘Goodnight’ as she shut the door. To my surprise, we made love once and then all she wanted was a lot of kissing and cuddling. I didn’t mind one little bit, as we spent most of the time quietly chatting about the future. She worried about me, of course, but I assured her I didn’t plan on dying on the other side of the relay. I would be returning to Illium afterwards. “You will live with Gianna?”

“Maybe. If Liara wants to rent this out, I would suggest we live here together. Well, Gianna and I can with Kelly, as she’ll join me. Kasumi might as well. I know you live on Feros…”

“Oh, I’ll be visiting constantly. So will Emily.”

“Shiala,” I lifted her chin with a finger, meeting her eyes, “I love you,” I whispered. The smile that lit up her face… “Is it weird for you that I love more than one?”

That made the smile turn into a giggle. “No, Shepard. Asari love many partners during their long lives. You are simply fitting many loves into a shorter life span. No, I don’t think it’s strange. And, no, I’m definitely not jealous. I adore Gianna while, quite frankly, Kelly is simply adorable in one moment then a minx the next.” She paused a moment. “To be honest, Shepard, I think all six of us love you in one way or another. Do you feel the same?”

“In a way, yes. I don’t have sex with…” I stopped, as I was about to tell a white lie. “Well, let’s say I have to be attracted and like the person to have sex with them. Being in love is a bonus. Took me a while to figure that out.”

Shiala remained quiet before she asked quietly, “Annie?”

“I don’t remember anything when I was dead, Shiala. Whether there’s something after all this or not, I can’t explain it.”

She cuddled into me tightly. “I’m just glad you’re back, Shepard,” she said, feeling the shudder go through her. Even after all this time, the fact I’d been gone two years was a wound for a few of my girls.

After making love the next morning, we headed out for breakfast, chuckling at the fact none of them were dressed. I suggested they were more than welcome to put on clothing, as I’d thrown on some shorts and a shirt. “I’ll admit it’s rather liberating,” Chakwas stated, “Though I think I’ll eventually take your suggestion. Sitting here naked will simply lead to someone wanting more from me.”

“Well, the sounds you make when you orgasm are simply adorable, Karin,” Kelly stated.

“Well, it helps when a rather talented young woman is between my legs,” Chakwas retorted.

Kelly smiled before looking at me. “So, what are your plans today?”

“Abandon the dates idea, Kelly. Why don’t we just do something as a group? I don’t mean just staying here and fucking constantly. I want to do something with all of you. Why don’t I treat you all to lunch, then we’ll find something fun to do, not sex, then I’ll treat you to dinner. I mean the sort of dinner where we all get dressed up, an exquisite meal, plenty of drinks, maybe somewhere with a little music. It’ll be a group date.”

They all loved the idea, though that did leave us the morning to do something. After we’d cleaned up after eating, we were sitting around, Emily to one side, Shiala to the other. All eyes continually fell on Emily as it was clear what the rest were all suggesting. “Shepard, take her into the bedroom,” Kelly practically ordered, then checked the time, “You have three hours to make her cum as much as you can.”

I laughed but picked up Emily and carried her to one of the spare bedrooms. Closing the door first, the first kiss was soft and sensual before I pulled back slightly, caressing her cheek, watching her eyes look at me. “I love you,” I whispered.

“What?”

“I love you, Emily. I have for a long time. I’m sorry I’ve not said those words before.”

I didn’t know what to expect. Tears? Anger? Laughter? Instead, all she did was smile and kiss me, the sort of kiss that would always provoke a reaction. My shirt and shorts disappeared rather quickly before we ended up on the bed. No foreplay, feeling her hand grasp my cock, guiding it towards her pussy, sliding it in slowly, enjoying the gasp she made as I buried myself. “I love you too,” she whispered, hearing the catch in her voice, “Took you long enough!”

“I’ll make it up to you.”

“You can do that by making love to me all morning.”

So that’s what we did. Like all my other girls, she was a goddess. More athletic than you’d imagine, utterly beautiful, and a dynamo in the sack. Intelligent, far smarter than I was, with a good sense of humour, and she was someone I could talk to all night and hang on every word. We didn’t get to see each other very often, so that what made seeing each other when we did even better. We had four hours to ourselves in the end, mixing lovemaking with lying back and chatting. I told her as much as I could about what I was doing, though she was aware of quite more than I expected. I didn’t exactly keep in touch with the Alliance or the Council, but I passed on enough information to keep them in the loop, and I guess Emily found out through her own contacts.

“Will you go back to the Alliance?”

“I’m not sure they’ll want me back.”

She scoffed at that. “Shepard, no matter what, you’re still the Hero of the Citadel. And if you end the Collector threat, that’s just another medal they can pin on that chest of yours.” She paused before using a finger to turn my head. “You will end your association with them, right?”

“The moment I’m back through the Omega Four. I’m sure the Illusive Man has ways and means of preventing that. I have my own plans. But I guess, once it’s over, I’ll be my own man and can make my own decisions. Don’t particularly want to turn mercenary but I’m not particularly pleased with the Alliance right now.”

“Far as I know, Admiral Hackett and Captain Anderson still speak highly of you.”

I nodded. “They do. But they are only two. Many others… well, I read and listen to what they say. I don’t have as many allies within the ranks as I would have thought.”

There was a knock at the door, Kelly popping her head in, wondering if the idea of a picnic at one of the parks would be a good idea. Emily and I thought it was great idea, but we needed a shower first. And that’s all we did, wash ourselves, as we’d spent long enough being intimate. Joining the other outside, Shiala and Gianna had the best idea of where to go.

We stopped to pick up one or two supplies on the way, eventually ending up in what would have been called a national park back on Earth. Finding a secluded spot by a lake, we ended up spending the rest of the day there, nibbling on snacks, drinking a little wine or other alcohol, going for a quick dip in the water. Surprisingly, despite the fact all six women stripped down when going swimming, there wasn’t much in the way of sexual activity. I simply appreciated the beauty on display, the six ending up in the water, and it was lovely to see them all getting on so well.

Heading back to the apartment when the light started to fade, Shiala and Kelly were busy organising the rest of the evening, booking a restaurant for our meal and then agreeing we would play it by ear afterwards. I like to think I scrub up well, showering and dressing, waiting for my girls to appear as I took a seat in the living room. One by one, they wandered out and I’m sure my jaw gaped each and every time. All six were nothing short of sensational, surprised they’d even brought such dresses. Most were of a similar size, so maybe they were sharing.

The six eventually stood before me. “Well, girls, I think we might be having a little fun later,” Kelly stated.

“He does look… hmm, hungry? But I don’t know whether for food or us,” Shiala added.

“Both. Definitely both,” I almost growled, earning more than a blush from a few of them.

Heading out immediately was definitely the best idea, otherwise things would happen that would mean we’d never leave the apartment. Walking along with six beautiful women certainly drew attention, as Illium being an asari world, human men were still seen as slightly exotic. It was a great night. The restaurant chosen served purely asari food, which none of us minded, as it was something different for our palette.

It was nothing short of sensational. Shiala offered plenty of advice but anything we chose was delicious. It was not a meat heavy diet, not that any of us minded, and the drinks that came with it simply accentuated the flavours we enjoyed. We certainly ate our fill over at least two hours, eating, drinking and laughing our way through I think five courses in all.

Next was a bar to simply sit back and relax for an hour or two with a couple more drinks, noticing all my girls enjoy a fruity cocktail or two, and I ended up joining in, as they looked lush and all of them exclaimed they were nothing short of tasty. Sitting in a booth, three girls to one side, three to the other, our waitress certainly looked on more than once with an approving glance. “She’s wondering who you are,” Shiala whispered into my ear, “To have the attention of all six women in the palm of your hand. You are a magnet, Shepard.”

We enjoyed a couple of drinks there, sharing a short kiss with most of my girls at one stage or another, before Kelly suggested we hit a club so the girls could all have a dance, more than aware it wasn’t my scene but I certainly didn’t mind the idea as the night was for them as much as it was for me.

Kelly and Shiala must have organised it all as we were treated like VIPs upon arriving at the club, not having to wait in line, managing to get a booth to ourselves with at least an element of privacy, and what felt like our own personal waitress. I bought drinks for everyone, of course, though it didn’t take long for most of the girls to leave for the dancefloor, only Chakwas remaining with me, stating it wasn’t really her scene either. We sat back, sipping our cocktails, an arm on the lounge resting behind her, no surprise she eventually cuddled into me. “Okay, I think I’ve had a few drinks, Shepard,” she stated over the bass.

“You okay?”

“Better than I’ve been in a long time, Shepard. I must thank Kelly for inviting me along.”

“If you ever want some alone time with me, Karin…”

She leaned up and kissed my cheek. “I think I might have to stop denying myself at least a little pleasure and take you up on the offer. But I can see how you and Kelly are with each other…”

“I know. My own fault for being pulled in a dozen different directions.”

“I won’t ask who you love the most…”

“It isn’t just one, Karin. Which is why I’ll never make the choice.”

I felt her shuffle, eventually resting her head on me. “Well, I’ve already had a lot of fun, Shepard. And, when we return from the Omega Four, I might have to join in again, if I’m invited.”

“Oh, I don’t think that will be a problem. No doubt the girls adore you. I think they enjoy having a mature woman as part of their little gang.”

I’m not sure how long we stayed in the club but the other five girls were exhausted by the time they returned to us. Heading out, it was definitely early morning by the time we returned to the apartment. Clothing was stripped off immediately as the girls suggested they all needed a shower. I needed one too, and the main bathroom had an enormous shower cubicle where all seven of us could squeeze in. I soon had many pairs of hands washing me down, before I was told to step out as the six girls started to put on quite the show for me.

Heading back out into the living room, sleeping arrangements were organised. The original idea was to spend the night with Emily before she asked, “How would you like a taste of the Orient, Shepard?”

“Huh?”

She pulled Kasumi towards her, both looking me up and down. “I’m suggesting a threesome, Shepard. How does that sound?”

I glanced at the others. “Goodnight, ladies. See you later this morning.”

The other four chuckled as I took Kasumi and Emily by the hand and led them to the bedroom. As we were already naked, I simply put them both on the bed. When they both immediately spread their legs, looking at and then leaning towards each other to kiss, I must have made a surprised noise. “Oh please, Shepard, we were busy eating pussy last night,” Emily stated.

“Hmmm. Good point. I’m doing that now though, right?”

Emily just pointed between her legs so I happily leaned down and started to pleasure her, while I used my left hand to fondle Kasumi at the same time, and there was no doubt the pair continued to make out, long enough until Emily started to respond to what I was doing, needing to moan often as Kasumi proved to have a rather dirty mouth, which I think simply heightened the pleasure of what Emily was experiencing.

I made Emily cum once, and quite hard, before she groaned with slight displeasure as I immediately moved over to Kasumi, enjoying her taste immediately. Turned on as she was, her orgasm arrived quicker, Emily turning onto her side and using her mouth on her breasts, so little wonder Kasumi didn’t last as long.

Sitting back having given them both an orgasm, they both looked at me with almost predatory grins. I knew what they wanted so I simply stood up and stepped towards the edge of the bed, both women getting onto their knees and almost fighting over who would suck my cock first. They quickly figured out how to share, running fingers through their hair, both of them looking only up at me as they took my cock in their mouth for around thirty seconds each.

“Where?” I asked.

“On her face,” Kasumi said, “Do you want that Emily?”

“God yes.”

So that’s what she got, leaving at least half a dozen thick white streaks on her face. It made her giggle, at least. Kasumi then decided that was the perfect time to snog her and also lick up one or two of the streaks, Emily using her fingers to take some for herself. Both had swallowed my load more than once, but the way they both did it simply made it more than erotic.

Emily kept stroking my cock, amazed it had barely gone down, using her mouth to clean up any residual cum before she shuffled back on the bed. “You’re still hard, Shepard, so I think we can continue. Kasumi, you’re more than welcome to sit on my face.”

That position didn’t last long as I eventually ended up on my back, Emily on my cock, Kasumi sitting backwards on my face so she could kiss Emily at the same time. Emily thoroughly enjoyed herself, enjoying a trio of orgasms, while I made Kasumi cum a couple of times as well, which certainly made me feel rather great about life. Then I needed to cum again, Kasumi removing herself as Emily leaned forward, grabbing her firmly by the arse, fucking her nice and hard for a couple of minutes before I unloaded inside her.

Resting on my chest, she chuckled to herself. “Good thing we’re all on birth control, Shepard, otherwise I think you’d have put babies in all of us. Well, maybe not Karin unfortunately…”

Kasumi was definitely eager to be fucked next, so gave me around five minutes before she was blowing me again. Once I was nice and hard, she suggested a different position, getting on her hands and knees with Emily lying in front of her. “Oooh, I get to taste pussy and your cum at the same time, Shepard,” she joked.

I’ll admit, I cracked up in laughter while buried inside her, so I had to stop for a couple of minutes before I got into a good position, leaning forward to whisper into her ear. “Ready, Miss Goto?”

“Been a while since a good hard fuck, Shepard.”

A good hard fuck is exactly what Kasumi received. I barely moved, simply changing the rhythm of my thrusts, sometimes hard and fast, sometimes slow and tender. Emily eventually moved so she could tickle her clit while Kasumi re-buried her face in her pussy, both women enjoying more than one orgasm again before I finally released another load, knowing it would probably be my last. It was now so late that I checked the time to see dawn was only an hour or so away, the three of us lying back, half-asleep. Starting to drift off, we agreed a quick shower was necessary before heading back to bed, Emily to one side, Kasumi to the other.

We didn’t rise until close to noon, heading out to see the others were awake. After a quick bite to eat, Kelly walked around and whispered something to the others, before she told me to sit back and relax as they all disappeared into one of the bedrooms. No idea what they were up to. I flicked on the vidscreen and changed the channel to the news.

It must have been at least an hour though probably longer before they all reappeared. Kelly appeared first, seeming to lead the other five out. What amused me is that the five all sat down on their knees before me, before they turned around and bent over. I glanced at Kelly first before looking back at the five. All of them were plugged. “So…”

“I did mention something about a day of anal sex, Shepard. Well, all six of us were interested. No word of a lie, there was a lot of excitement when we were getting ready. However, most would prefer to be in charge, so all you need do is lie down so they can remain in control. Gianna would like to be on her back. I will be head down, arse up, as I want a good arse fuck.”

“You’re serious?”

“Of course, Shepard.” She disappeared for a few seconds before returning with a bottle of lube. “So Shiala, Karin, Emily and Kasumi are all ready to go. I’ll go after all of them. Gianna… you will be doing that in privacy tonight. But she wanted to wear a plug for you too.”

I was surprised at the fact Karin Chakwas was keen, taking her by the hand and leading her into the bedroom. She took great joy in lubing my cock up before I lay down, the other girls coming into the bedroom to watch as Chakwas settled herself down on my crotch. Leaning forward to kiss me, I could see Kelly remove the plug out of the corner of my eye and definitely lubed her up, Chakwas whimpering into my mouth as a couple of fingers definitely slid inside her arse.

“Okay, you’re as ready as possible, Karin,” Kelly stated softly.

A couple of minutes later, I watched my entire length disappear inside the arse of Doctor Karin Chakwas. And the smile on her face suggested she loved it when she looked down at me. “Well, Commander Shepard did take my virginity in one way,” she stated.

“Oh?”

“Never gave it much thought but Kelly told me about the times you’ve done it with her, and I’ll admit, I wanted to do it with you once she was done talking about it.”

“She made it sound incredibly erotic,” Gianna added, “Which is why I’m more than eager to do it too.”

As Karin started to slowly ride me, and I was blow away at how tight her arse was, Kelly sat beside her and started to gently fondle her pussy at the same time, I guess to help give her an orgasm. Kelly had climaxed more than once during one of our anal sessions, but I knew it was a rare thing.

“Do you like it, Karin?” Kelly breathed into her ear.

“Yes,” she whispered in returned, “He feels even larger in my arse.”

“I can’t believe I’m in your arse, Doc!”

That made her chuckle as she leaned forward, resting her hands on my chest. “Your lovely thick cock is definitely in my arse, Shepard. And I think I will want this again.”

Running my hands down her body, I eventually rested them on her arse as she leaned forward further. When I started to gently thrust, the smile on her face simply broadened. “Yes, just like that,” she breathed.

“I can’t cum six times, girls,” I warned.

“Cum in Karin, Shepard. The rest of us will ride you until we cum ourselves,” Kelly stated. “Can you handle it a little harder, Karin?”

“For Shepard? Definitely. Just not like he can do to my pussy though.”

I lasted all of two minutes, of course. Anal sex wasn’t something I chased. As I’d told Kelly long ago now, there was a perfectly good pussy I preferred, but I’ll admit, that carnal part of my mind loved it when I had Kelly on her knees, head buried in a pillow, and I just buried my cock in her arse over and over again. She loved it nice and hard, something I’d learned after our first couple of times.

As for Chakwas, she rested herself down on my chest after I’d cum inside her, suggesting she would enjoy the sensation just for a few more minutes before she would move. Kelly moved and snapped a picture of my cock buried inside her, Karin murmuring she wanted a copy of it herself.

Karin kissed me before she finally moved herself off as Shiala immediately moved into position. She spent a few minutes simply stroking my cock as we made out before I was nice and hard again. I definitely enjoyed watching my cock disappear inside her. We’d enjoyed anal sex before, of course, so this wasn’t new for either of us. She took time getting into a rhythm, but once she was confident enough, she really started to ride me, her right hand rubbing herself furiously.

She… came… hard…

Shiala moved off quickly as Emily wasted little time getting herself into position. We’d never done it before but she seemed ever so excited by the idea, Kelly getting her ready before my cock disappeared inside her too. She hadn’t done it before, just like Karin, so took her time getting used to it, but after a few minutes, she was certainly enjoying herself, Kasumi and Kelly sitting to either side of her, hands fondling her pussy, mouths at her breasts or other parts of her body. Little surprise she came more than once before she needed to cry enough, lifting herself off me before I was buried inside Kasumi within thirty seconds.

She received the same treatment from Kelly and Emily, while to my surprise, Shiala was lying next to me with Chakwas with her head buried between her legs. “She’s great at eating pussy, Shepard,” Shiala moaned.

Looking around, Gianna was sat on a chair, feet on the bed, arse still plugged, meeting my eyes as she rubbed herself furiously. “I’m enjoying the show, Shepard. Trust me. I can’t wait for you to fuck me later as well.”

Kasumi started to chuckle. “Shepard, I think you just got harder…”

“Of course. He loves the thought of fucking my arse, Kasumi. He certainly loves looking at it.”

“Wait until he’s absolutely pounding my arse,” Kelly breathed, “Head buried in the pillows as he crouches over my body, just ramming his cock into me…”

“God, Kelly. You make it sound…” Gianna trailed off, watching her shudder.

Kasumi needed to get off me once she’d climaxed, having thoroughly enjoyed herself, but admitted she couldn’t lie on me with my cock buried in her arse. Not because it was uncomfortable but more due to the fact she enjoyed it far too much.

Left lying there by myself for a moment, I watched Chakwas continued to please Shiala, while Emily moved herself so she could hover above her face, Shiala immediately wrapped an arm around each thigh to eat her out. Kasumi, not one to be left out, go behind Chakwas and started to eat her out at the same time. I glanced at Gianna, who by now had three fingers in her pussy, her eyes staring into mine. “Already cum a few times, Shepard,” she murmured.

“Don’t want to be involved?”

“Not this time. And you still need to pound Kelly.”

Speaking of Kelly, she was already on her knees with her head resting on a pillow. Sitting up and getting behind her, I gave the plug a jiggle before I gently pulled it out. It was bigger than the others and I figured Gianna wouldn’t exactly have a large one inside her. Lubing myself up again, I got into position behind Kelly, crouching down as I aimed my cock for her tight little hole. “Gently inside me then, once you’re ready, just fuck me stupid,” Kelly whispered.

Those words definitely gained the attention of the others, all the muff diving ending almost immediately as I gently slid my cock into Kelly. We didn’t have anal all that often, but she was used to taking my cock in her arse, at least, so burying myself entirely didn’t take all too long. Then I got into the position she wanted, leaning forward and kissing her cheek. “Are you ready?” I asked softly.

“God yes, Shepard. I’m going to put this simply. Ruin my arse.”

“I’ll ask just the once. Are you sure?”

“If it starts to hurt, I’ll say stop. You know I will.” I kissed her softly again… then gave her a hard thrust. When she smiled, I gave her another one. “Fuck yes, Shepard…”

Getting comfortable, there was no point delaying. I fucked her _hard_. I mean as hard as I’ve ever fucked someone. She was soon groaning, moaning and even grunting her way. But she never came close to asking me to stop. In fact, she reached back to take my hands from her hips, pulling me forward as I held onto her hands. “Faster,” she moaned, “I want to feel you cum in me.”

Considering how long I’d been fucking everyone, that was guaranteed. “Fuck, I love your cock, Shepard. Love it when you fuck my arse like this.”

I didn’t really know what to say so simply kept on fucking her. I glanced to see all the girls watching with sheer interest. Even Gianna had moved to join then, a look on her face that spoke two things. One, impressed with what Kelly was receiving, and two, maybe thinking she wanted the same thing later.

“Fucking hell,” I grunted.

“You love my tight little arse, don’t you, Shepard?” she managed to state, each word halted by a hard thrust.

“God yes. It’s perfect,” I growled in return.

I moved slightly, letting go of a hand and grabbing her hair. Moving more, I managed to position myself comfortably so I could pull her hair back but continue to fuck her as hard. “Fuck yes!” she cried.

I wasn’t going to last much longer but she wouldn’t want to know when I was going to cum. She would just want me to bury myself over and over again until I did finally finish. Leaning forward and down, I kissed up her back and neck before she turned to kiss me. “I love you so fucking much, Shepard,” she whispered, hearing a catch in her throat. I must have looked immediately concerned. “Not through pain, Shepard. I’m loving every second.”

“I’m close,” I whispered in return.

“Cum in me as always.”

I did just that, a few last thrusts before I buried myself and came hard. So hard, such a great feeling coursing through my body, that Kelly and I collapsed onto the bed, feeling her give my cock a few squeezes with her arse. “I love you too, Miss Chambers,” I whispered into her ear.

Her breathing caught a moment. “Got a little carried away,” she whispered, feeling her shuffle slightly, another moan escaping her, “You still feel rock solid, Shepard.”

“You need to cum. Want to ride me?”

That earned immediately agreement, pulling out and lying down. She spun around and showed off to me, spreading her arse wide. “Do I look well fucked, Shepard?”

“Absolutely. Cum leaking out too.”

She slid down my cock quickly and rode herself hard and fast within seconds. I spent the entire time fondling her pussy before focusing only her clit. Little wonder she cried out in climax within a few minutes and she didn’t want just one orgasm. Kasumi and Shiala eventually sat to either side of her, taking over, hands at her pussy, mouths at her breasts. She must have had another three or four by the time she simply had to cry enough, slowly lowering herself down onto my chest.

“Girls, we should give them some privacy. I’ve got him until tonight, but I think Kelly needs some alone time with him,” Gianna stated. I gave her a look and she simply smiled. “Shepard, the way she said she loved you, she needs you alone, just for a little while.”

Once the door was closed and we were alone, Kelly lifted herself up, and I immediately had to raise a hand to wipe her cheek. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m just… worried that… that I’ll lose you,” she replied, her bottom lip trembling. I lifted her up so I wasn’t inside her, at least, shuffling back so I was sat up against the headboard as she sat on my lap.

“I’m not going anywhere, Kelly. But I know why you’re worried.”

“I want this forever, Shepard. I’m not the only one, of course, but I want what we share. I want…” She looked away for a moment, gathering her thoughts, before she met my eyes. “I want a family, Shepard. I want our children. I’m not the only one. Shiala is of age to have children. Gianna will certainly want a family with you.”

“What about marriage?” I wondered.

“I’m not sure there’s anywhere that will allow multiple marriages. And I’m sure most of the women out there would want your surname if given the chance.”

“But I’m sure you’d love to be known as Mrs Kelly Shepard?” She didn’t need to reply. The look in her eyes, the smile that lit up her face upon hearing her name like that. It was enough to tell me everything I needed to know. “I think we need a shower then we’re going to make love.”

That’s exactly what we did, Kelly eager to return to bed and for my cock to be buried in her again. We didn’t stop until I’d cum again and she’d enjoyed at least another couple of orgasms. I held her for a long time afterwards, resting on my chest as always, fingers trailing up and down her back before she suggested that hunger needed to be sated and food was required. We walked out into the living room, five pairs of eyes looking at us and smiling. We gathered around the table as Shiala happily put together some food for all of us, opening two bottles of wine as plates were eventually placed on the table, all of us digging in immediately.

I sat back and listened to the conversation. They had all remained naked, and I received more than one glance and a smile. “So, are we going to do this when we get back?” Kelly asked.

“Definitely,” Emily replied, “I can’t disappear from work too often but…”

“Interview, Emily. Remember I owe you that.”

“We’ll have to be dressed for that at least, Shepard.”

“I’m going to stay here,” Shiala said, “I’ll wait until you return, Shepard. Liara won’t mind. In fact, I think she might even head back this way to visit.” She looked at Gianna. “And you already live here so I guess…”

“I’m tempted to rent or buy a large apartment and have us all live together,” I admitted, “That includes you, Karin. I don’t have any plans once we’re back through the Omega Four. And I want to just relax and have some fun with all my girls. But that’s for after. I don’t want to make any promises. Not with what we face.” I leaned forward, looking around the table to meet their eyes. “But I haven’t come back from death just to die in some godforsaken hellhole. I plan on returning and enjoying my life, at least for as long as I’m allowed until the Reapers arrive.”

Gianna cleared her plate, finished her glass of wine, then stood up, grabbed my hand, wished the others goodnight, before leading me off to the main bedroom. Closing the door, she practically leapt on me afterwards, her mouth desperate for mine, as she pushed me back onto the bed. Kissing down my body, she swallowed my cock quickly, head immediately bobbing up and down. “So fucking horny,” she said before she continued.

“Do you want everything or…”

She stopped and looked up with a smile. “First load in my mouth, Shepard, and I’m going to swallow every drop. Then you’re going to eat me out. Then you’re going to make love to me and cum again. Then you’re going to fuck my arse.” I raised eyebrows at the term used. “I… found what you did with Kelly incredibly exciting… Part of me wants to try.”

“Okay.”

“Now you just like back and enjoy it, Shepard. I can’t wait to taste your cum again.”

“I love you.”

The smile was broad. “I love you too, Shepard. And I can see how much Kelly loves you too, and you love her. No wonder. She’s wonderful.”

“She thinks the world of you in return, Gianna.”

“I know, which is why I want…” She paused, “No, I’ll tell you now. When you return, I want a threesome with you and Kelly.”

“Done.”

“And I think you got longer and thicker at the thought. Just what I wanted. Now, no more talking until you cum in my mouth, Shepard.”

No wonder I loved the woman. And as talented as she was, and as desperate as she seemed to be for me to cum, I couldn’t hold it back for long until I warned her all of ten seconds before I groaned loudly and erupted in her mouth. It definitely caught her by surprise, hearing her giggle before she made certain noises that suggested she kept her word and swallowed every drop, only releasing my dick when she was sure I was done for the moment, feeling her tongue along my shaft a few times before she kissed up my body.

“Sit on my face,” I said.

“Really?”

“God yes.”

So that’s what she did, and I enjoyed looking up into her eyes as she lowered herself down, wrapping a hand around each thigh, I kept her in place as I ate her out. No surprise I remained almost as hard as ever. Her scent drove me wild, her taste was something I’d always enjoyed and why I loved eating her out all the time, and I loved watching her body react to what I was doing. “Fuck,” she moaned.

She was definitely turned on as her first orgasm arrived within only a few minutes. I stopped long enough to say, “I’m going to keep going until you basically pass out. Then we’ll stop before making love.”

“You’re on, Shepard.”

I ate her out for long enough that my jaw ached by the end, my face must have been covered in her juices, and she simply collapsed to my side, quivering every few seconds and telling me not to touch her just yet. I lay beside her and chuckled as she gave me a gentle shove. “Holy shit,” she breathed, “I lost count, Shepard. It turned into just one continuous orgasm.” When she felt normal, she shuffled closer to kiss me. “Hmmm, I can taste myself on your lips. No wonder you love eating me out.” I laughed out loud at that as she snuggled into me. “Give me a few minutes, then we’ll make love.”

“Any requests?”

That made her laugh. “Yes. I’m on my back for this one. I’m just going to wrap my legs around you and ensure you cum inside me.” She paused before adding, “I know Kelly has talked to you about it. Did she say what I wanted?”

“What do you want?”

“I want a family, Shepard. Kelly does too. We know marriage is probably out, but… well, we think when all this is over, we can make it work. I’ll never be jealous of her, and her of me. Nor of any other women you might want to join us. I adore Emily, Kasumi is nothing but a delight, and Shiala… We can see the love you two share as well. Even Karin is wonderful.”

“But you want a family?”

She met my eyes. “Absolutely,” she whispered.

We immediately made love. I’m not sure how long I lasted but definitely a long time. But Gianna had been adamant. She didn’t move from on her back, her hands running up and down my arms, my back, my chest, even caressing my face. Our mouths rarely parted. When they did, the whispers were only of our love for each other. She seemed almost… desperate for me to remain inside her for as long as possible. I did all I could to last as long as possible but even I have my limits and she knew when I was getting close.

When I finally came, I had to rest, her legs tightening around me as she stroked my back, feeling her soft lips on my cheek as I rested my head on the pillow. Lifting myself up after a couple of minutes, I met her eyes. “Holy shit,” I whispered.

“Good?”

“Gianna, with you, it’s always perfect.”

“I was thinking about on my knees for my arse, but I want to ride you first.”

“I’m going to need a few minutes at least.”

“Oh, I’ll just blow you to get you nice and hard.”

I pulled out and lay down as she rolled into my arm, hand immediately on my chest. I’m sure my heart was beating a little faster than normal. She gave me ten minutes before she was moving down my body, her head bobbing up and down for a few minutes to get me nice and hard again, before she leaned over to the bedside table, grabbed the well-used bottle of lube and spun around to show me the plug still inside her. I took that out and smiled as I poured a little lube on her and gently slid a couple of fingers into her. “Oh,” she breathed, “Oh, I like that, Shepard.”

Barely a couple of minutes went by before she spun around and kissed me, lubing up my cock blindly before she positioned it and I slid in surprisingly easily. She smiled while kissing me while slowly lowering herself down, lifting herself up and down a few times before I found my cock buried in her arse. “I really want to ride you something stupid, but I don’t know if it will hurt,” she said.

“Build up a rhythm, and if it feels good, go faster.”

It was sensible advice. I moved my legs as she leaned forward, resting my hands on her hips as she started to move. She started slowly but definitely enjoyed herself, her face lighting up each time she lowered herself down. I moved one of my hands and gently began to fondle her, the noise she made suggesting that was a bloody good idea as well.

When she started to ride me faster, her face lit up even more. “Oh my god,” she moaned, “Oh my god…”

“Good?”

“I had no idea, Shepard. No idea.”

I fondled her but watched her face and body. Her mouth parted. Her eyes full of lust and desire. Breasts jiggling as she bounced faster and faster. Slightly movements as she changed to angle inside her. My thumb found her clit and that sent a spasm through her body, forcing her to lean down and kiss me hard. “Oh god, I’m going to cum so hard,” she breathed, “When I do, you need to get me on my knees and just fuck me and cum yourself.”

“You sure?”

“Absolutely.”

She lasted another five minutes before it was simply too much and she needed to orgasm. I only stopped fondling her because she was far too sensitive, lying down on my chest, feeling her chest rise and fall, her hard nipples pressing into me. “Okay, we’re doing this again,” she whispered.

“Glad you enjoyed it, Gianna. But, trust me, it’s not something we need to do often.” I gave her a gentle thrust. “But I do love your tight little arse.”

She rolled off me and onto her knees. I quickly got into position behind her, sliding my cock ino her arse again, before resting back and pulled her against me. She loved it immediately, resting her head against my shoulder as we turned to look at each other. “Fuck me… please…”

I did as she asked. I tried to fondle her again, but she moved my hand away, insisting this was just for me. She eventually leaned forward so I took the same position as I’d done with Kelly, almost crouching over her before leaning forward. “Ready?” I asked quietly. She nodded.

I only lasted a couple of minutes. She loved it, which was a relief. Burying myself a final time, I came hard, enough that I simply had to pull out and collapsed onto the bed immediately, Gianna rolling onto her side and cuddling my side. “Fucking hell,” I muttered.

“I’m going to have to thank Kelly for this, Shepard. I obviously knew all about it but I just had no idea.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it, Gianna. Last thing I ever want is for my lover to feel pain.”

We lay for a while, enjoying post-coital bliss, before we headed into the bathroom for a shower, Gianna cleaning her pug at the same time, chuckling away at how long it had spent in her arse. Heading back to bed, she spooned against me, holding my hands to her chest, and I think she fell asleep rather quickly.

After we made love the next morning, we dressed and headed out into the living room, thankful that everyone else had also dressed. I sent out a message to everyone to be back at the ship at the time requested as we enjoyed a last breakfast together. Kelly, Kasumi and Chakwas left for the ship first, leaving me to say goodbye to Shiala, Emily and Gianna, though noticed all the cuddling and kissing between all the girls before it was my turn to say goodbye.

All three of them were crying by the time I’d hugged and kissed each of them. I knew it was because they worried about what I was about to do. I made no promises about returning. We knew the odds of going through and back, but I’d survived worst odds.

“Soon as I’m back through, I’ll get in contact with you and we’ll figure something out.”

“Just come back alive,” Gianna insisted, poking my chest at the same time.

“I’ll do my best. But the Collector threat must end, one way or another.”

We enjoyed a final group hug, giving each of them a last kiss, before I simply had to let them go. They wished me good luck before I stepped onto the elevator, the doors closing as they smiled at me one last time.

Back on the ship, I was the last one to board. Miranda and Kelly were waiting by the airlock, Joker looking at me from his chair.

“Your orders, Commander?” Miranda asked.

“All crew present and accounted for?”

“Yes, Commander.”

“The ship is ready to depart for and ready to pass through the Omega Four?”

“Absolutely, Commander.”

“Good. Joker, your destination. The Omega Four relay.”


End file.
